Ground Defense Force MaoChan: Volume I
by Amras Felagund
Summary: Retelling of the anime with AU situations! Mao-chan and her friends defend Japan from the Cute Alien invaders! (Rated K plus for infrequent fantasy violence)
1. MaoChan's First Dispatch!

_Ground Defense Force  
Mao-Chan_

* * *

**Chapter 1**:  
**Mao-chan's First Dispatch!**  
  
April, Day X.  
Mao Onigawara is a second-grader at the girls-only Akamatsu School just outside of Tokyo, Japan. Her pink hair is tied on either side of her head by red ribbons. Even so, her hair goes down to her waist. Her expressive eyes are a bright purple. She wears a white long-sleeve shirt with a large yellow bow on the front, and a dark-red skirt. All over, she looked absolutely adorable. She will be the focus of our story.  
Rikushiro Onigawara was Mao's grandfather, and Chief of Staff of the Ground Defense Force. He was a very tall man in sixties, his gray hair pointing up. He wears a green business suit, over which he wears a black- and-red cape. Rikushiro was a man who took his job very seriously, so much so that he prefered to be refered to as "Chief of Staff" by everyone, and I mean _everyone_. His face was bright, as it was Mao Onigawara's eighth birthday, and he had gotten her a present that would change her life...  
Forever.  
"Grandpa!" Mao said, looking up at her towering grandfather. He kneeled down, his face suddenly stern. He spoke, in a scratchy, yet comforting voice:  
"Mao, don't call me Grandpa. Call me Chief of Staff!"  
"Yessir, Chief of Staff, sir!" said Mao, realizing her mistake.  
Rikushiro's face softened, and he said, "Mao, you are a good little girl who puts defense above all else." He pulled out a small green package that fit in his hand, and handed it to Mao.  
"Here's your birthday present!"  
Where are Mao's parents, you ask? Her father is currently reading a newspaper in a rocking chair a few feet from Rikushiro, not bothering or being bothered by Mao and her grandfather. As for her mother...well, she disappeared just months after Mao was born for no apparent reason.  
Mao's father spoke up, somewhat annoyed: "Dad! You're spoiling Mao too much!"  
Rikushiro ignored him, and said to Mao as she opened her present: "Your birthday present is something I confiscated from an alien that came to Earth!"  
This startled Mao's father so much, he fell backwards out of his rocking chair, one of his slippers falling off. He quickly got back on.  
Mao was surprised by the contents of the present. It was a green clover that was smiling with its mouth open and its eyes closed. Out of the bottom sprung a small piece of paper with the hiragana for Mao's first name. Mao found it...  
"Awwww! How cute!" she said with admiration. She heard Rikushiro say, "Let's see how it looks on you, Mao!"  
Mao placed it on her chest, over her heart. Rikushiro said, "It looks good on you, Mao."  
Rikushiro stood up, and said overly melodramatically, "Keep that clover on your chest, Mao, and always strive for..." He struck a dramatic pose: "...the defense of the future!"  
"Yessir, Chief of Staff!" said Mao as she saluted. She then swung her fist, putting her right hand over her heart, accidentally hitting the clover. "I, myself, will protect the peace of Japan!"  
As Mao pulled her hand from her clover, its eyes opened, its smile widened, and its mouth closed. As this happened, it also began to glow a brilliant white, startling everyone in the room.  
"What? What? What is this?" Mao stuttered scaredly, as the light engulfed her. When it faded, Mao had a light-green aura about her, the clover still glowing very brightly. "Grandpa!" she cried, literally.  
"Chief of Staff!" said Rikushiro annoyed.  
"I'm scared!" said Mao, still teary-eyed.  
"Don't be!" Rikushiro said, clenching his fist. "Your spirit of defense is in synch with the Universal Power! Rejoice, Mao!"  
Mao raised her arms, and let out a half-hearted "Yay!" "Although I'm still scared!" Suddenly, the green aura around Mao began to increase in intensity, forcing Rikushiro to shield his eyes.  
From the source of blinding green light came a cry: "Help me, Grandpa!"  
"It's _Chief of Staff_!" Rikushiro shouted back, as the green clouded his vision entirely, knocking him off his feet. Mao's father was knocked across the room, as the green glow faded, shouting: "What the--? What happened? Is Mao okay? What did you do, Dad?"  
Rikushiro couldn't describe what he was seeing, so he pointed at Mao, hoping his son wouldn't hate him for this. He heard a shout from behind him..."Mao, what's that outfit you're wearing?!"  
Indeed, she never wore such an outfit. It resembled a majorette's uniform, mauve in color. Her skirt was white. On her hat, and over her heart, were a clover each. In her hand, she held a golden baton with emerald spheres at either end. She wore a look of shock and confusion, her purple eyes red from all the crying she did.  
Rikushiro, however, was ecstatic. He quickly stood up, laughing, "Yes! This will work! This will really work!"

* * *

Later that day, at Defense Force Headquarters, Commander Kagome Mishima made her way to Chief of Staff Onigawara's office as quickly as possible. He seemed urgent in the PA announcement, so she made her way there as quickly as she could without sweating. Then again, she normally did around Chief of Staff Onigawara, as she, strangely enough, loved him, even though he was almost forty years older than she was.  
Kagome Mishima is a woman who can make most other women feel quite self-aware of themselves at a glance. She had brown hair that she had tied into a bun on the back of her head. She is also very intelligent, with an IQ of 250. She devised many of the Defense Forces tactics and strategies.  
Making her way past some oglers in the corridor, she reached a door with a sign on it:  
  
**CHIEF OF STAFF'S OFFICE**  
  
Kagome blushed, and thought passionately, _Chief of Staff Onigawara..._ She looked over herself one last time to make sure she appeared professional before the Chief of Staff, and knocked.  
Kagome said, "This is Commander Mishima. I'm coming in."  
She opened the door, and was surprised at what she saw. Rikushiro was sitting in his chair, an expression of joy on his face. Mao (whom Kagome didn't even know yet) was on his lap, and he was _tickling_ her.  
Mao said, through giggles of pure delight, "That tickles, Chief of Staff!"  
"Good girl, good girl..." said Rikushiro, laughing as well.  
Kagome, however, was not laughing. She started, a look of confusement on her face. _What?! Does he have a Lolita Complex?_ she thought.  
Rikushiro noticed her, set Mao on the floor, and said, "Oh, Miss Kagome. Allow me to introduce my granddaughter."  
Kagome was immensely relieved. She saluted and said, "Oh, is that so? How do you do? I am Commander Kagome Mishima of the Ground Defense Force."  
Mao saluted and responded, "I, myself, am Mao Onigawara."  
"So, your name's Mao-Chan, right?" said Kagome, kneeling in front of Mao.  
"Yes!" said Mao. "I will protect the peace of Japan!"  
Kagome chuckled at what Mao said. _She's so cute_, Kagome thought. "I look forward to the day you join the Defense Forces."  
"Then that would be today. I had her signed up immediately." said Rikushiro, startling Kagome.  
"What?" she said, confused. _He isn't doing what I _think_ he's doing...is he?_ she thought.  
Rikushiro put his hand on Mao's shoulder, and said, "You see, I made Mao a member of the Defense Forces as a special private."  
Kagome paled. _He_ is _doing what I thought he was doing! Is he crazy?!_  
"You're the best of the best, Miss Kagome," said Rikushiro, "so I'll need you to act as Mao's support during her missions. You'll do it for me, won't you?" He grinned, showing his shining white teeth. The light glinted off them, causing Kagome to become smitten. Without a second thought, she said, "Yes, sir!" 

* * *

It was one day after Mao became a member of the Defense Forces, and already she was a household name. She was everywhere, in magazines, on TV, in newspapers, _everywhere_. This impressed her best friend, Misora Tsukishima, who was also eight.  
Misora Tsukishima has long, blue hair that goes to her waist. A light- blue bow keeps her hair out of her eyes, which were red. She wears a similiar outfit to Mao, except her skirt is dark-blue rather than dark-red.  
"Mao-Chan, this is amazing, I say! You are a national celebrity, I say!" said Misora that lunchtime at school. They were having an outdoor lunch. Mao chuckled modestly, when Misora stood up suddenly.  
"Look at this! You even have paparazzi, I say!" she said, pointing to the large gates leading into the school grounds. Sure enough, there were at least a dozen people there, holding cameras, taking pictures even as Mao noticed them. Mao let out a weary moan.  
"Mao-Chan," said Misora, "I envy you, I say. I want to defend the country, too, I say."  
Mao turned to Misora and said, "Misora-Chan, why don't you join the Defense Forces and defend with me?"  
Misora hung her head, and said, "But your grandfather is Chief of Staff of the Ground Defense Force, and my grandfather is Chief of Staff of the Sky Defense Force, so we won't be able to defend together, I say."  
_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_  
With each 'beep', Mao's clover softly glowed green. She looked down, slightly shocked. "What is it, I ask?" asked Misora.  
Mao's face turned stern, and she said, "I-It's a dispatch order!"  
Misora was excited, "So, this will be your first defense mission, right?"  
"Yeah! I'll do my best!"  
With that, Mao ran off as fast as she could to Defense Force Headquarters. Unfortunately, Mao was not particularly good at running, and after about five seconds, she was only a foot away from Misora. 

* * *

This is the Defense Force Control Room, a circular room divided into three, one room for each Defense Force. This was the Ground Defense Force room, which was painted green. There were two screens on the rounded wall. Miss Kagome and several Operators, and Rikushiro, work here.  
"They are finally here! As I have predicted," said Rikushiro to the Prime Minister on one of the computer screens, "Those Cute Aliens are finally returning to Japan!"  
The Prime Minister was a middle-aged man, with a perpetual nervous look on his face. He was almost always wiping sweat away from his face with a handkerchief in his hand. Right now was no different.  
"Is that so? Is that so?" said the Prime Minister. Rikushiro pulled out a map of Japan and said, "Look at this! In just two hours the Cute Alien will arrive in Japan!"  
"Is that so? Is that so?"  
"That's right!" said Rikushiro, startling the Prime Minister. "Now is the time!" He struck a dramatic pose. "The time for defense has come!"  
Rikushiro deactivated the connection to the Prime Minister, and turned to Kagome, saying, "How much longer till Mao gets to Defense Force Headquarters?"  
"_WHAT?!!_" Kagome shouted. "You're sending Mao-Chan, I mean, Private Onigawara to stop the Cute Alien invader?"  
"Of course. Why do you think I made her a member of the Defense Forces, if not to protect the peace of Japan?" said Rikushiro, apparently unfazed by Miss Kagome's shout.  
One of the operators, a woman with short black hair, said, "But no matter how often we check and recheck the power levels from Private Onigawara, we don't detect any differences! She's just an ordinary person!"  
"No matter. I have instilled into Mao the spirit of defense from the day she was born, making Mao the ultimate Defense Force member," Rikushiro persisted.  
Another operator, a woman with long dark-brown hair, shouted, "But she's just an eight-year-old girl!"  
Still, Rikushiro defended his stand. "Her age and gender are irrelevant. We need someone who possesses the will to defend!"  
He turned to Kagome, and said, "Am I right, Miss Kagome?" glinting his teeth again. Once again, Miss Kagome said, "Yes, sir!" without a second thought.  
At that moment, the doors opened, and Mao ran in. "Sorry I'm late!" She tripped over a cord, and fell on the floor, crying and "Ah-ooh-eh-ooh"- ing, but stopped when she heard Miss Kagome amd Rikushiro.  
"Private Onigawara, commence defense operation!"  
"Go forth and defend, Mao!" 

* * *

"The Cute Alien will land in a few short minutes in Ariake, Tokyo. Evacuation of the neighborhood with the assistance from the Self-Defense Force is complete. Placement of Private E-2 Onigawara is complete."  
Mao was on national television. Everyone in Japan was watching her. _Grandpa, Miss Kagome, Misora-Chan, I myself will not fail!_  
Suddenly, her clover badge flashed, 'beep!'-ing every time it flashed, and she heard Miss Kagome's voice:  
"Private Onigawara, the Cabinet has approved special use of budget. Prepare to download Type 2 Ground Gear!"  
Mao saluted, and shouted, "Roger, ma'am! Type 2 Ground Gear... Download!" She touched the clover badge's face. "Riku-bo!"  
In a flash of green light, Mao was once more in the outfit her father shouted about on her birthday.  
"Private E-2 Mao Onigawara of the Ground Defense Force! I will defend the country today in high spirits!"  
Mao watched as the capsule containing the Cute Alien fell towards Earth. She was incredibly nervous. She stuttered, to noone in particular, "I-I will protect th-the peace of Japan...so..."  
By now, the capsule was just a few hundred feet above her, surrounded by fire from entry into the atmosphere. This caused Mao to turn tail and run as fast as she could, which wasn't very fast. She shouted, "I'm scared!"  
Behind her, she heard a loud '_BOOOOM!_' as the capsule hit Earth. The shockwave hit Mao, knocking her off her feet, and she fell... 

* * *

Miss Kagome was worried for Mao. She turned coward and tried to run from the falling capsule, and got knocked down. This isn't going well at all! Kagome thought. We'll become a laughingstock as quickly as we became famous!  
She turned to Rikushiro, and said, "Chief of Staff!"  
"Not yet! The defense is just beginning..." 

* * *

"It hurts! I got a boo-boo! And it hurts!" Mao shouted, as she scraped her knee from the fall. The capsule was in the middle of a small, smoking crater before Mao, but her scraped knee was the first thing on her mind. Eventually, the pain subsided, and Mao walked toward the crater as the smoke cleared. To Mao's surprise, the capsule was small, small enough to fit in her hand.  
It opened.  
And out of it sprung...  
"It's so cute!"  
...a small rabbit-like creature. It stood barely half-a-foot tall. It just stared at Mao, who stared back for a moment. Then Mao remembered Misora's and her grandpa's words:  
"So, this will be your first defense mission, right?"  
"Go forth and defend, Mao!"  
Mao's expression changed to a sad one. She said to the creature, which was scratching one of its ears, "Um...excuse me...are you an alien?"  
The rabbit-like creature blinked, then nodded.  
"Oh, I see..." Mao said, falling to her knees, wincing slightly as her scrape hit the ground again. The alien tilted its head, confused.  
"You see, I, myself, am a member of the Ground Defense Force. So...I have to..." Mao said, raising her baton. She hesitated, tears forming in her eyes, then swung at the alien's head.  
"I'm sorry!" Mao shouted. She stopped her swing just an inch over the alien's head, then bopped it over the head, knocking it out.  
"I'm very sorry..." Mao tearily said, now crying fully. She wiped her tears away, and said, voice still cracking slightly, to the news camera in front of her:  
"The situation is under control." 

* * *

Everyone watching the news report cheered. Even the two operators at Defense Force Headquarters who were doubtful of Mao couldn't help but cheer. Kagome was slightly confused, though she was still happy that the mission succeeded. Misora was quite cheerful when she saw that the mission was a success.  
Mao picked up the Cute Alien and began the trip back to Defense Force Headquarters. Rikushiro was pleased that the mission was successful, though he knew deep down that this was only the beginning of the Cute Alien invasion...  
  
**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	2. MisoraChan of the Sky Defense Force

**_Ground Defense Force  
Mao-Chan_**

* * *

** Chapter 2:  
Misora-Chan of the Sky Defense Force**  
  
(Note: Underlined text = Morse code)  
  
"April, Day X.  
"I, Misora Tsukishima, was watching Mao-Chan's bravery on TV today, I say," Misora read aloud as she wrote in her diary. She turned her attention back to the TV, where Mao was in her Type 2 Ground Gear, saluting repeatedly. The TV announcer said, "And now, today's most popular segment, Today's Mao-Chan Corner! Today, it looks like Mao-Chan is hard at work, practicing her salute."  
_Mao-Chan is a fine Defense Force member_, Misora thought._ She is my idol, I say. I wish I could defend with Mao-Chan, I say._  
Little did Misora know, her grandfather, Sorajiro Tsukishima, Chief of Staff of the Sky Defense Force, was watching her through an ajar door. He wore a blue business suit, and a large white hat. Unlike Rikushiro, who was imposingly tall, Sorajiro was barely a foot taller than Mao or Misora. He held a doll named Okita-San in one hand, and a small blue object in the other.  
_How can this be?_ thought Sorajiro, squeezing Okita-San, which squeaked. _She's idolizing the granddaughter of that idiot Rikushiro. Well, Rikushiro, two can play at that game..._  
Pulling the blue object into the light, revealing it as a blue clover, he walked towards Misora...

* * *

"Because of the emergence of the Cute Aliens, we were able to reveal the Ground Defense Force to the public."  
This was Rikushiro, who was standing with a Defense Force officer named Toku-San outside the Defense Force Headquarters. Defense Force Headquarters looks like any government building, but with a 100-foot tower in the middle. Toku-San wears a dark-green hat, with a light-green clover on the front, and a light-gray suit.  
"It was well worth it to push for the construction of our headquarters," said Rikushiro, who then turned to Toku-San.  
"Don't you agree, Toku-San?"  
"But, Mr. Ground, why don't we just send the Self-Defense Forces to stop the Cute Alien invaders?" said Toku-San. Rikushiro leaned toward him so that he was face-to-face with Toku-San. Rikushiro's face was stern.  
"Our enemies are CUTE Aliens!" shouted Rikushiro. "How do you think we would look if the Self-Defense Forces sent soldiers and tanks, armed to the teeth, to take out the Cute Alien?"  
Toku-San was startled for a moment, but then said, "Well, people might think we were bullying the Cute Aliens."  
"That's right!" Rikushiro stated, leaning in even more. "The public would want us shut down, and the Cute Aliens would have their way! In order for us to combat Cute Aliens effectively, we must use cute recruits!"  
"That is correct, Chief of Staff Onigawara," said Miss Kagome, who had just arrived on the scene. Toku-San stood erectly, and saluted. Rikushiro turned away from Toku-San, and towards Miss Kagome, and said, "Most impressive, Miss Kagome. You have a full grasp on the situation, correct?"  
"Absolutely, sir," said Miss Kagome. She thought, _I can follow anything the Chief of Staff says!_  
"Good," said Rikushiro. "Because I have a special assignment for you."  
Kagome's heart raced. _The Chief of Staff wants me to do something for him!_ she thought.  
"Yessir?!" she said, a little too eagerly. Rikushiro didn't notice, though.  
"Are you ready?"  
"Yessir!"

* * *

Misora saw her grandfather walk into the room, and sat down on the couch next to her. Sorajiro turned his head towards Misora.  
"Misora, you don't have to go to school today," he said, still hiding the blue clover in his hand from Misora's view.  
_This is most unlike Grandfather, I say_, thought Misora, bemused. _He only does this when he has something very special for me, I say._  
Misora said, in her usual formal tone, "But Grandfather, why mustn't I go to school, I ask?"  
"It's 'Chief of Staff'. And besides," said Sorajiro, pulling the clover out into the open. "You need to start your training."  
Misora thought she was seeing things. She rubbed her eyes. The blue clover was still there. It looked just like Mao's, only it was blue instead of green. Coming out of the bottom was a paper with the hiragana for Misora's name.  
"Right?" Sorajiro asked Okita-San in his hand. He squeezed Okita-San, causing it to squeak.  
_This means I will be able to defend with Mao-Chan, I say!_ Misora thought, barely able to contain her excitement. She grabbed the clover out of Sorajiro's hands, all her formalities forgotten. She put it on her chest, and was about to press it, when...  
"Misora! Don't download your Type 2 Flight Gear, except in a defense mission! Every download costs us 25000 Yen, so only download when it is absolutely necessary."  
"Roger, I say!" Misora said, saluting. Sorajiro said to Misora:  
"Misora, we must leave for Sky Defense Force Headquarters immediately. There, you will begin your training...  
"...as a Second Lieutenant of the Sky Defense Force."  
  
Mao walked to school, which was faster for her than running. Strangely, Misora wasn't waiting for her outside the gates. _I, myself, hope that Misora-Chan isn't sick or anything_, Mao thought worriedly. _She's my best friend, and I hope she's alright._  
Mao was late getting to her homeroom.  
"Sorry I, myself, am late, Miss Koyama. I--"  
She looked at the teacher's desk, and did a double-take.  
Miss Kagome was at the teacher's desk, and was talking to the class: "I will be your homeroom teacher starting today. My name is Kagome Mishima. It's nice to meet you."  
"Ehhh?!" Mao shouted, her eyes wide. "H-how come?"  
Miss Kagome tapped her finger on her desk. Though most of the students thought she was just being temperate, Mao recognized it as Morse code:  
"Sit down, and be quiet."  
Mao made her way to her desk, and sent a Morse code message back to Miss Kagome, "Roger."  
"I'll explain at lunch," Miss Kagome tapped back.  
The rest of the lesson proceeded as normal. Mao, though, was still wondering why Miss Kagome, a Commander of the Defense Forces, was her teacher now as well.  
Lunch couldn't have come slower. When it finally rang, Mao was bored to tears, and nearly dozed off. She was awoken by a shout:  
"Wake up, Private Onigawara!"  
Mao woke up. The classroom was, except for herself and Miss Kagome, empty.  
"I'm sorry, Commander Mishima, for falling asleep in class!"  
"When you are in school, you'll address me as Miss Kagome, Mao-Chan."  
Kagome realized she was probably being too harsh with Mao. She was, after all, eight years old. Kagome decided to be calmer as she continued.  
"So, you wanted to know why I will be your teacher?"  
Mao nodded slightly.  
"I was asked to be your teacher, Mao-Chan," Kagome explained. "Because the Chief of Staff wanted a Defense Force operative to watch you while you are at school, and to respond to emergencies at an early stage."  
Though much of Miss Kagome's explanation would have gone in one ear and out the other to any other eight-year-old girl, Mao understood completely.  
"Oh, I, myself, get it! It's part of a defense operation, right?"  
"Yes, that's right!" said Kagome. She muttered under her breath, "Why do I have to do stuff like this?"  
"Huh?" said Mao, who almost heard what Miss Kagome had said.  
"No, no, it's nothing," Miss Kagome stuttered, waving her hands dismissively.  
Mao thought she heard someone else whispering, coming from the door. She looked over, and saw two seniors (that's high-school seniors, not 55-and-over seniors), one with long red hair, the other with short dark-green hair. As soon as they were spotted, however, they bolted.  
_That's weird_, Mao thought. _Who were they, and why were they watching us?  
_ "Private Onigawara!" Miss Kagome said, recapturing Mao's attention. "Report to Ground Defense Force Headquarters after school. Understood?"  
"Understood!" said Mao, saluting, and heading to lunch.  
  
Now, as for the two seniors. They hid behind the door as Mao continued to the lunchroom. The one with long red hair was Yuriko Oozora, President of the Student Body. She wears a black headband in her hair, though her bangs are short enough that they are out of her eyes, with or without the headband. Her hair covers her ears completely. The one with short dark-green hair was Chinami Noki, Yuriko's best friend. She wears the type of glasses that do not need to connect to your ears. Her hair also covers her hair completely. Both have brilliant-purple eyes, and matching uniforms (beige shirt, brown skirt). They both look very pretty.  
Chinami was currently glaring in Mao's direction, while Yuriko had a look of admiration on her face. Chinami said to Yuriko, "Miss President, that was eight-year-old Private Mao Onigawara of the Ground Defense Force."  
"Wh-what a cute little girl..." said Yuriko, her headband flying off. Two light-brown cat-like ears pop out of the top of her head.  
"Don't compliment the enemy, Miss President!" said Chinami, turning to Yuriko. She was so shocked by Yuriko's cat ears that she double-taked, identical ears popping out of her head.  
"Miss President, your ears are showing!" shouted Chinami.  
"So are yours, Chinami-Chan," countered Yuriko. She heard footsteps, and realized Miss Kagome was leaving the room.  
"Quick, hide 'em!" said Chinami, throwing her hands on her head, pushing her ears back into her hair. Yuriko did likewise, just as Miss Kagome came out of the room. She looked a little worried.  
"Is everything alright, you two?" she asked.  
"Sure," said Chinami. Yuriko finished, "Nothin' wrong here."  
Kagome stared at them for a few moments, their hands on their heads, then continued to lunch...

* * *

The rest of the school day is virtually uneventful, so we'll just skip ahead to Mao at the Ground Defense Force Headquarters...

* * *

"I can't see anything, Grandpa," said Mao. He had covered her eyes with a blindfold, so that she couldn't see the surprise he had for her.  
"It's Chief of Staff, Mao," said Rikushiro. "Besides, it's a surprise."  
Mao had no idea where they were going, though Rikushiro knew exactly where to go. He lead Mao through various corridors and rooms. Finally, he opened one door, and Mao, though she was blindfolded, could tell the room was brightly lit. Rikushiro removed Mao's blindfold. Mao gasped, "Amazing!"  
Rikushiro had lead Mao to a construction room. In the center was a large white tank, with a copy of Mao's clover on either side of the turret.  
"You like it, don't you, Mao?" asked Rikushiro. "This tank is your support mecha in your future defense operations. I call it White Tiger!"  
Miss Kagome was next to Rikushiro, and she said, "And the person who was in charge of the development was me---"  
"Thank you, Grandpa!" Mao said, ignoring Miss Kagome, who hung her head humiliatedly.  
"You mean 'Chief of Staff'," he said.  
"Thank you, Chief of Staff!" Mao said, running towards White Tiger. She bowed and said, "Hello!"  
To Mao's great surprise, the tank's turret lowered, then raised, in an impromptu bow.  
Mao turned excitedly and practically shouted, "He bowed back! Did you see?"  
"That's because," Miss Kagome said, "of a special silicon-chip AI---"  
"It's amazing, isn't it, Mao?" interrupted Rikushiro, in false awe.  
"Yes, sir!" said Mao. She saluted to the tank, and said, "I, myself, look forward to working with you! Your name is...hmm...I'll call you Miikun!"  
Rikushiro said, "Its name is White Tiger."  
But Mao ignored him, and said, "It's nice to meet you, Miikun!"  
"Ch-Chief of Staff?" asked Kagome, worried. _He normally isn't happy when he doesn't get his way_, she thought. _But how will he act around his granddaughter?_  
"Well, Miikun is fine," said Rikushiro, resigning to the fact that his granddaughter preferred simpler names.  
Toku-San, who helped build Miikun, was sitting in the corner of the room. He spoke up, "Are you sure about this, Mr. Ground? This thing don't have any weapons to stop the Cute Aliens."  
"Of course!" said Rikushiro, "You don't think I would let my cute granddaughter use real weapons, so you! What a cute granddaughter needs is a cool toy!"  
_This guy doesn't make any sense_, thought Toku-San and several other operatives.  
The sirens started blaring, bathing the room in red light. A voice spoke over the PA, "We've got an emergency! Our sensors have detected an object we believe to be a Cute Alien! Arrival trajectory is the same as before."  
Everyone in the room knew what had to be done immediately.  
"Chief of Staff!" said Kagome, turning to Rikushiro.  
"The Cute Alien couldn't have come at a better time!" Rikushiro told Kagome. He turned to Mao. "Mao! I mean, Private Onigawara! Prepare to defend Japan from the Cute Alien invader as a Ground Defense Force member!"

* * *

Mao's father was reading his newspaper as usual, and was channel- surfing on the TV, when a news report said:  
"We interrupt our current program to show a live broadcast of: 'Mao- Chan, Defend Japan from the Cute Alien Invaders'!"  
_Talk about your doting grandfathers_, thought Mao's father.

* * *

Mao was now in her Type 2 Ground Gear, and she was riding Miikun to the same place she did when she defeated the Rabbit Alien. Only this time, she was far more confident in her abilities to defend.  
She watched the capsule falling down to the ground, when it burst open in midair, just twenty feet above her.  
"Aww, that's so cute!"  
It was a small Bat Alien, barely a foot tall. It squeaked with every flap of its wings. It twirled once, and when it faced her, it was holding...  
"It's a space bomb!" came Miss Kagome's voice over Mao's clover. "Get out of there, Private Onigawara!"  
The Bat Alien threw the bomb towards Mao; it landed on the ground, its fuse not lit yet. Mao kneeled down, looking at it. Suddenly, it sprouted wings, and jumped around, its fuse now lit. Mao crouched, crying, "It's scary!"  
"Why don't you run away, Mao-Chan?!" Miss Kagome said through the clover again, though Mao was too scared to hear her.  
BOOOOOM!  
The bomb went off, exploding in a cloud of smoke. Mao, however, was not hurt. She looked up to see...  
"Miikun!"  
Miikun had tilted on its side, shielding Mao from the blast. It was covered in soot, but was otherwise OK. Mao thanked Miikun, and ran out of the way as it landed on the ground.  
Miikun spun it turret towards the Cute Alien, hitting it, causing it to fall.  
"You did it!" Mao shouted to Miikun, overjoyed. "Amazing!"  
"Wait, Mao!" came Rikushiro's voice from Mao's clover. Mao looked at it, concerned. "Look at the Alien!"  
Mao looked again, and the Bat Alien was flying away.  
"Oh, no! It flying away into the sky!" She tried to run after it, but she tripped, and she began to cry.  
"If it escapes into the sky, then I, myself, a Ground Defense Force member can't protect anyone. I can't protect everyone..."  
"Mao-Chan!"  
Mao's blood went cold. She knew who that was, but it was impossible. She tried to convince herself that it wasn't, but it was. She looked up.  
"Misora-Chan!"  
Misora was riding on the wing of a large red jet, which had a blue clover on either side of the cockpit. She had a blue clover on her chest.  
"Mao-Chan!" Misora shouted back, "My grandfather made me a Defense Force member, I say!" She gestured toward the jet she was on. "This is my support mecha, Hayate, I say. Now, I will be able to defend with you, Mao-Chan, I say!  
"Type 2 Flight Gear...Download!" Misora pressed the clover's face. "Ku-bo!"  
In a bright flash, Misora was in her Type 2 Flight Gear. It looks much like Mao's Type 2 Ground Gear, with the exception that the clover is blue, and she has white, angel-like wings on her back.  
"Second Lieutenant Misora Tsukishima of the Sky Defense Force!" Misora said, saluting. "I will protect the skies of Japan, I say!"  
Misora leapt off Hayate, and flew after the alien. It squeaked and flew away. Suddenly, Hayate flew into its path, trapping it between Misora and Hayate. She crossed her arms, and reprimanded it:  
"Making trouble for Japan and Mao-Chan is a big no-no, I say! Got it?"  
The Bat Alien squeaked, then hung its head in defeat.

* * *

Throughout Japan, people were quite pleased with the way Misora handled the situation.  
"She didn't fight him, she put him in his place!"  
"I can't believe she scolded an alien!"  
"And she's cute to boot, isn't she?"

* * *

Misora flew back to the ground, the Cute Alien in her arms. She landed in front of Mao.  
"Misora-Chan, you did it!" Mao congratulated.  
"I certainly did!" said Misora. "My first dispatch was a complete success, I say!"

* * *

Rikushiro was in his office, and was quite displeased. He was glad the mission succeeded, though he was unhappy that HIS granddaughter didn't stop the Alien.  
"So," he said, "Sorajiro has made his granddaughter into a Defense Force member..."

* * *

Sorajiro was in his office, and was happy that his granddaughter succeeded in her very first mission.  
"Rikushiro," Sorajiro chuckled, "I won't let you have your way forever..."  
He looked at Okita-San, and said, "Right?" and squeezed Okita-San, who squeaked.

* * *

"Sorajiro, you copycat!" shouted Rikushiro. "But I can say that one thing's for sure..."

* * *

"I can say that one thing's for sure..."

* * *

Both grandfathers shouted, "My granddaughter is cuter than _your_ granddaughter!"  
  
**_ TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	3. Sky and Ground are One

**_Ground Defense Force  
Mao-Chan_  
**

**Chapter 3:  
Sky and Ground are One**   
  
"April, Day X.  
"Misora-Chan has been made into a Sky Defense Force member. Now she will be able to defend Japan with me! She is going to give me a tour of the Sky Defense Force Headquarters. I, myself, am very excited," read Mao aloud out of her diary as she wrote. 

She looked over it again to make sure she spelled everything right, then put her diary away and walked to the Defense Force headquarters.  
Little did she suspect, Rikushiro was watching her from the other room, and was deep in thought.  
_She is friends with the granddaughter of that copy__cat Sorajiro_, thought Rikushiro,_ but I bet that other girl may be plotting something. She may even try to find out some of our strategies in the Ground Defense Force! I have to keep them from working together. For the good of the Ground Defense Force..._

* * *

__  
Misora took Mao on a tour of the Sky Defense Force, which was in the same building as the Ground Defense Force. Each of the three Defense Forces occupied one-third of the same building. The layout of the Sky Defense Force headquarters is identical to the Ground Defense Force's layout, with the exception that the walls are blue, not green. Mao almost felt like she was in the Ground Defense Force headquarters.  
"So, Mao-Chan, whatever did you think of the Sky Defense Force headquarters, I ask?" asked Misora after the tour was over.  
"It was very ritzy!" exclaimed Mao, using the only word she could use to describe it.  
Misora giggled, "Mao-Chan, you vocabulary certainly is outdated, I say."  
"Maybe because I, myself, heard that from my grandpa," joked Mao, and they both walked off, giggling...

* * *

The next day...

* * *

"Hey, Sorajiro! Who gave you permission to build that monstrosity near my Ground Defense Force headquarters?!" shouted Rikushiro, talking to Sorajiro through an audio/video link. Sorajiro was in his office, currently playing with his caricature doll, Okita-San.  
"Gee, I don't know," came Sorajiro's sarcastic reply. "I got permission from the Cabinet, Rikushiro Onigawara."  
Rikushiro's temper rose slightly. "You hired an elementary-level Defense Force member, your granddaughter, and you also gave her that stupid excuse of a support mecha, Hayate! You're such a copycat!"  
"You're using your granddaughter as Ground Defense Force propaganda to get a budget increase," countered Sorajiro, "I saw through that plan long ago."  
"Well," said Rikushiro, trying to come up with a good comeback. "I saw through your plan to steal some of our strategies in the Ground Defense Force. You are telling your granddaughter to pretend to be my Mao's best friend so that you can copy some of our strategies, Sorajiro Tsu-Copycat!"  
Sorajiro was confused. "What are you talking about? There is no such plan...yet.  
"Anyway, your granddaughter is cute, I have to admit. BUT...when compared to my Misora, the choice is obvious. Is yours cuter? I don't think so."  
Sorajiro waved one of Okita-San's hands, and cut the transmission.  
_Rikushiro_, Sorajiro thought, _a real man fights and fights and fights, even when there is no hope._  
"Right?" said Sorajiro to Okita-San. Okita-San squeaked and fell onto the floor, causing Sorajiro some dismay.

* * *

"W-what did you say?! Sorajiro, you knucklehead!" Rikushiro shouted at the empty screen. "Quite a big ego for someone who was always hiding in my shadow back in college!"  
Rikushiro calmed down a little. _Perhaps I should call the Prime Minister, to see if Sorajiro is telling the truth._  
Rikushiro set the videophone for: Prime Minister's Office, The Diet. The Prime Minister's always nervous face appeared on the monitor.  
"What is it? What is it?" asked the Prime Minister, his voice as nervous as his face.  
"Prime Minister," said Rikushiro, in as calm a voice as he could muster, "I won't get mad at you. Tell me, and tell me honestly: Did you give that idiot Sorajiro permission to hire an elementary-level Defense Force member?"  
The Prime Minister sweated a little more, then he said:  
"Yes."  
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" shouted Rikushiro. Even though they were only talking on a videophone, the Prime Minister cowered. "Not only have you allowed Sorajiro to recruit his granddaughter as an elementary Defense Force member, but you allowed him to build her a support mecha!"  
The Prime Minister had a distressed look on his face, "W-well, y-y- you see, i-it's because..."  
"IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER NOT ENOUGH TO DEFEND JAPAN?!" Rikushiro screamed at the videoscreen, the Prime Minister leaning back so that Rikushiro's voice wouldn't be heard as loud.  
"But-but-but..." stuttered the Prime Minister, tears mingled with his sweat.  
Rikushiro cut the connection.  
_I have to get Mao to work solo in all future defense missions_, thought Rikushiro, _I will not let Sorajiro's granddaughter steal our strategies..._

* * *

Meanwhile, Mao and Misora were at school, and it was dismissal. They were getting the books they needed for their homework out of their lockers. Mao turned to Misora.  
"Hey, Misora-Chan! Were your press interviews yesterday tough?"  
Misora stated, "They certainly were! I was more nervous than I was when I was first dispatched to stop the Cute Aliens, I say!"  
Mao giggled, and turned toward her first class, saying, "To tell you the truth, I, myself, felt the same--"  
Misora suddenly stared ahead of Mao, and said, worriedly, "Mao-Chan! Watch where you're going, I say!"  
Mao turned to look where she was going, just in time to bump into the person in front of her. Mao was dazed from bumping into the person, who was about two feet taller than four-foot-tall Mao. The person turned, and said, "Oh, I'm sorry."  
Mao looked up. It was a high school senior. She had long red hair that covered her ears completely. She wore a black headband in her hair. She wore a biege long-sleeve shirt and a brown skirt. She looked vaguely familiar.  
_Wow, she's very pretty!_ Mao thought, entranced by the lady's appearance. She heard Misora whisper in her ear: "That is the President of the Student Body at our High School, Miss Yuriko Oozora, I say."  
_President of the Student Body?! Oh, my gosh!_ Mao thought, flustered. "H-how do you do?! I, myself, am--"  
"Mao-Chan of the Ground Defense Force, right?" said Yuriko to Mao, cutting her off. "You're cute on TV, and even cuter in person. Not to mention you're a real go-getter for someone so small..."  
Mao blushed modestly, and said, "Well, I, myself, wouldn't go THAT far..." Mao remembered where she saw Yuriko last: "Oh, yeah, you were watching me and Miss Kagome a couple days ago. How come?"  
Before Yuriko could answer, she heard a shout behind her: "MISS PRESIDENT!!"  
Mao and Misora watched as another high school senior, this one with glasses and short green hair, grab Yuriko by the arm, chuckling nervously. "Pardon us!" Chinami said, pulling Yuriko away from Mao and Misora as if her life depended on it. Mao and Misora stood there, thoroughly confused.  
Then, to their greater astonishment, they heard a shout from behind them.  
"Mao!"  
"Misora!"  
They turned. It was their grandfathers, both making haste to their granddaughters. Rikushiro grabbed Mao's arm when he reached her, and Sorajiro did the same to Misora.  
"Mao, we need to have a little chat. Come meet me in the car."  
"Misora, we have to talk. I'll explain when we get to the Sky Defense Force headquarters."  
Mao and Misora barely struggled, as their grandfathers could be very forceful. They left with their grandfathers, to talk about...whatever their grandfathers wanted to talk to them about.  
Once they were in the car, Rikushiro told the driver to make haste to the Ground Defense Force headquarters.  
After they got there Mao asked Rikushiro, "Grandpa...oops, I mean, Chief of Staff, what's my mission for today?"  
"It isn't about a mission, but I wanted to talk to you about this in private.  
"Mao, never let the Sky Defense Forces beat you to the Cute Aliens. And _especially_ never lose out to Sorajiro's granddaughter."  
"Who, Misora-Chan? Why not?" Mao asked, confused.  
"Because her grandfather wants her to steal strategies from the Ground Defense Force. I am separating you two so that the Ground Defense Force will be safe."  
"But, Misora-Chan is my best friend," said Mao, tears beginning to form in her eyes.  
"I am only doing what is best for the Ground Defense Force," said Rikushiro, persisting, trying to ignore Mao's tears. "Do not interact with Sorajiro's granddaughter. This is an order from the Chief of Staff of the Ground Defense Force."

* * *

"But, Grandfather," Misora asked, "why can't Mao-Chan and I defend Japan together, I ask?"  
"It's 'Chief of Staff'," said Sorajiro, "And besides, Rikushiro's granddaughter is a member of the Ground Defense Force. And _you_ are a member of the Sky Defense Force. We're lucky the Chief of Staff of the Sea Defense Force doesn't decide to doesn't decide to make _his _granddaughter, if he has one, into a Sea Defense Force member."  
"But, wouldn't be better," Misora persisted, "If we worked together to stop the Cute Aliens, I ask? Like a Unified Defense Force, I say."  
Sorajiro waited a moment before responding. _She got me there_, he thought, _but I have to come up with a reason to keep her away from Rikushiro's granddaughter._  
"Misora," Sorajiro said, "Modern combat takes priority. In other words, we must be the first on the scene to stop the Cute Aliens. Do you understand?"  
Misora tried to come up with a comeback, but she could'nt, "Y-yes, I understand, sir, I say."

* * *

Mao was wandering the corridors of the Ground Defense Force headquarters, lost in her thoughts.  
_I, myself, am a Ground Defense Force member. And Misora-Chan is a Sky Defense Force member. What's the difference? The ground and sky are connected. But if I can't defend with her...it just won't be the same..._  
_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_  
Mao's clover was beeping. That meant that a Cute Alien was coming to Japan. Mao was dispatched to the scene with Miikun, though her heart wasn't in it. Defending just wasn't the same...  
...without Misora...

* * *

Misora recieved the same order, and her grandfather, not wasting any time, had her dispatched there on the double. The Cute Alien's trajectory was the same as the past two Aliens, so Misora downloaded her Type 2 Flight Gear and flew to the landing location. She saw the capsule high up above her, falling to Earth at a rapid pace.  
"I'm counting on you, Misora!" came her grandfather's voice over Misora's clover.  
"Roger, I say!"  
Misora hovered there until the capsule burst open just ten feet in front of her. It was a teal bird alien, though Misora didn't think it was cute. She was too scared.  
"It's terrifying and cuddly, I say!" Misora cried, flying away from the Cute Alien.

* * *

Rikushiro couldn't help but laugh at Misora, as he watched the Cute Alien chasing her in a circle. He turned to a Defense Force operative, and said, "Second Lieutenant Tsukishima is doing poorly. Send a message to the Sky Defense Force control room, telling them to halt their operation."  
"Roger," she said, sending the message. Ten seconds later, she said, "Chief of Staff Onigawara. The Sky Defense Force Chief of Staff's reply is: 'Knucklehead'!"  
A vein appeared on Rikushiro's temple, who was furious. "Who does he think he is, being so stubborn?!" He grabbed Miss Kagome, who was nearby, by the shoulders, and shook her back and forth, shouting, "Miss Kagome, where's Mao? Why isn't she stopping the Cute Alien?!"  
"Private Onigawara is just arriving at the scene!" shouted Kagome back, dizzy from being shaken so much.

* * *

Mao and Miikun just arrived on the scene. Mao jumped off Miikun and looked up at Misora being chased by the Cute Alien. She heard Misora shouting, "It's too scary to defend alone, I say! It's too lonely to defend alone, I say!"  
"Misora-Chan!" Mao shouted to Misora, and Misora looked down at Mao. Suddenly, Misora flew down to Mao, knocking them both to the ground. Misora was hugging Mao tightly, tears in her eyes, repeating, "Mao-Chan! Mao-Chan!"

* * *

_Mao-Chan..._ thought Yuriko, as she and Chinami watched what was happening on a TV. She was worried for Mao and Misora, and hoped that they could defend Japan. If they couldn't, it could spell disaster for them all...

* * *

"Misora-Chan, let's defend Japan together," Mao said to Misora. "Our defense missions have one thing in common: to protect the peace of Japan. Besides, the ground and sky are connected."  
"Mao-Chan," said Misora, still teary-eyed. She wiped her tears away. "You are right, I say! Yes, you certainly are right, I say!"  
They both got up, and pulled their batons out.  
"So I, myself, will..."  
"So I will..."  
They crossed their batons, and shouted:  
"...defend the country!"  
"...defend the country, I say!"  
Suddenly, their clovers began glowing with their respective colors. They thought it was going to be their grandfathers scolding them, but the clovers were glowing too brightly. The glow was steady as well, nor were the clovers beeping. Both Mao and Misora were shocked by this.  
"What's happening, Mao-Chan, I ask?"  
"I don't know! This never happened before!"  
The glow intensified, and became pure-white. Both were too stunned to do anything.

* * *

Yuriko and Chinami were stunned by the light coming from Mao and Misora's clovers as well, but for different reasons.  
"Chinami-Chan, that's the Light of Kusanagi-Sama!" whispered Yuriko to Chinami.  
"Impossible, Miss President!" whispered Chinami back. "They're full-blooded Earthlings!"  
Suddenly, the glow from the clovers grew much more intense, blocking Mao and Misora completely. Everyone turned away from the TV, not wanting their eyes to be damaged.  
Everyone except Yuriko and Chinami.  
The light hit the Cute Alien, which was as transfixed by the Light as Yuriko and Chinami, until the light hit it. It fell out of the sky, unconscious before it hit the ground.

* * *

Mao and Misora fell to the ground once more after the light faded. They heard two people shouting in their direction:  
"MAO!"  
"MISORA!"  
Mao and Misora turned, and saw...  
"Grandpa?"  
"Grandfather, I ask?"  
Rikushiro and Sorajiro ran toward their granddaughters, trying to keep the other from getting to their granddaughter. They both shouted, "It's 'Chief of Staff'!" They then started fighting.  
Mao said, "Chief of Staff, can Misora-Chan and myself..."  
"Can Mao-Chan and me..."  
"Defend the country together?"  
"Defend the country together, I ask?"  
Rikushiro and Sorajiro stopped what they were doing, which was Sorajiro holding Rikushiro in a headlock. They thought for a moment, then said, half-heartedly, "Well, I suppose..."  
They then glared at each other for a moment, then pouted.  
"Misora-Chan," Mao said, "Something tells myself that problems lie..."  
"Ahead of us, I say," Misora finished.  
  
**_ TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	4. Sylvia of the Sea Defence Force

**_Ground Defense Force  
_****_ Mao-Chan_**

* * *

****

**Chapter 4:  
Sylvia of the Sea Defense Force**  
  
May, Day X.  
It has been two weeks since Mao and Misora were permitted to work together. They haven't had any chances to do so, however; no Cute Aliens have invaded Japan in the past two weeks. They were frightened by the idea of the Defense Force girls using the Light of Kusanagi-Sama as a weapon.  
Mao was currently wondering why the Cute Aliens were invading Japan in the first place. So she decided to raise the topic at a homeroom meeting one day at school.  
"If anyone has a topic for discussion in today's homeroom meeting," said Miss Kagome. "Raise your hand and speak up."  
After a few moments of silence, she said, "Is there anyone here who has a topic for discussion?"  
Mao realized, _This is my chance to ask why the Cute Aliens are coming to Japan._  
"I do!" Mao said, raising her hand.  
"What is your topic, Mao-Chan?" asked Kagome.  
"I, myself, would like us to discuss why the Cute Aliens are coming to Japan."  
"I would like to discuss this as well, I say," added Misora.  
This topic caused Kagome to fall out of her chair in shock; she apparently didn't expect this type of topic from anyone.  
The discussion went well, though a few students asked Mao why she wanted to discuss the reason for the Cute Aliens. Mao always said, "I, myself, just wanted to know."  
When the homeroom meeting was over, the class left to go home. Mao, Misora, and Miss Kagome left for Defense Forces.  
_When we get to Defense Force headquarters_, thought Kagome, _I should show them a meeting detailing the arrival of the first Cute Alien..._

__

* * *

It was the Defense Forces' Briefing Room, and five people were currently in it. The five people were Mao, Misora, Kagome, Rikushiro, and Sorajiro. Kagome was at a podium in front of a row of chairs, where Mao, Misora, Rikushiro, and Sorajiro were seated. Behind Kagome was a videoscreen for slideshows and the like.  
"This is Commander Kagome Mishima's lecture on the Cute Aliens!" said Kagome in a loud, clear voice, so that all could hear her. Mao was excited. She whispered to Misora, "Aren't you excited, Misora-Chan? We're finally gonna find out why the Cute Aliens are coming to Japan!"  
"I certainly am, Mao-Chan, I say!" Misora whispered back.  
_Why am I stuck doing this kind of stuff?_ thought Kagome.  
"Miss Kagome," Rikushiro said to Kagome. "please begin your lecture."  
"Roger!" Kagome said as she saluted. The lights dimmed. Mao and Misora shivered; they never really liked the dark. The screen behind Kagome lit up as the slide show began. The first slide was black text on a white background:  
  
**_OUR FIRST CONTACT WITH EXTRATERRESTRIALS  
_**  
"Our first contact with the Cute Aliens," began Kagome, "Was two years ago when..."  
The slide changed to one of a turtle-shaped creature surrounded by people in orange radioactive suits. Like all Cute Aliens, it was adorable.  
Kagome continued, "...a turtle-shaped flying alien was escorted to safety by Ground Defense Force operatives."  
The slide changed to one of the Turtle Alien running with several of the Ground Defense Force operatives on the beach.  
"The turtle alien, which we named 'Cosmic Tama-Chan', was loved by everyone in the Defense Forces," continued Kagome. As she said this, the slide changed to a slightly younger Kagome lifting Cosmic Tama-Chan in her arms, then to one of the others trying to lift Cosmic Tama-Chan off of Kagome. Mao and Misora couldn't help but giggle slightly.  
The slide changed again, this one of Cosmic Tama-Chan laying eggs in a small hole in the sand. The eggs slightly resembled the capsules the Cute Aliens arrived in.  
"Possibly because of everyone's love for it, Cosmic Tama-Chan laid four eggs several months later," Kagome went on. "Two of the eggs contained the magical clovers used by Mao-Chan and Misora-Chan. The third held a clover not currently being used."  
As Kagome said this, the slide changed again, this one of three of the eggs opened, the fourth set aside. In each egg was a clover. One green, one blue, and one dark-gray. The green clover was Mao's, and the blue Misora's.  
The slide changed again, this one showing the fourth egg being opened, with a note inside it.  
"However, the fourth egg didn't contain a fourth clover. It contained a note that said..."  
The slide changed yet again, this one showing the note unfolded. It read.  
"...'Japan is being targeted'."  
Mao and Misora whimpered slightly.  
"Although the true objective of the Cute Aliens is currently unknown, we do know that Japan is being targeted."  
The slide changed three more times, each time showing a picture of the Cute Aliens that Mao and Misora faced.  
"And so, the Ground Defense Force was determined to stop the Cute Alien invasion whenever it started. And it has."  
The lights came back on, and the slides stopped playing.  
Kagome's voice went from stern in the speech, to gentle when she said, "This has been Commander Kagome Mishima's lecture on the Cute Aliens! So, does everything make sense now?"  
"Yes, ma'am!" Mao and Misora shouted. To Kagome's surprise, Rikushiro and Sorajiro stood up as well.  
"For the first time ever, I understand!" said Rikushiro.  
"I understand, too!" agreed Sorajiro.  
Kagome hung her head in dismay.

* * *

Mao and Misora were about to eat their dinner at the Defense Force eatery. During the two-week absence of Cute Alien invasions, they complained of all the 'grown-up food' in the Defense Forces' restaurant, and a special menu was created just for them, featuring all of Mao and Misora's favorite foods.  
Mao stared hungrily at her food, "It looks delicious, doesn't it, Misora-Chan?"  
"It certainly does, I say!" replied Misora.  
They were just about to dig in, when...  
_BEEP! BEEP!  
_ "_Private Onigawara! Second Lieutenant Tsukishima!_"  
It was Miss Kagome's voice, coming from Mao and Misora's clovers. There was only one reason she was calling over the clovers, and Kagome confirmed their suspicions when she continued...  
"_A Cute Alien is going to land in roughly the same location as the past two. Please hurry to the scene as fast as possible!_"

* * *

Kagome turned to Rikushiro, and said, "Chief of Staff Onigawara, what's wrong? Private Onigawara is going to arrive at the scene shortly."  
Rikushiro suddenly turned to Kagome, saying, "I have something to find, Miss Kagome. I shall only be a few minutes. Until I return, you're in charge." He then turned and ran out of the Ground Defense Force central control room into the corridor.  
"Chief of Staff? Chief of Staff!" shouted Kagome after him.  
_What could he be looking for that's more important than his granddaughter defending?_ she thought.

* * *

Mao and Misora were at the scene, in their Type 2 Gear, preparing for the landing of the Cute Alien. They watched as the capsule fell through the sky.  
"Misora-Chan, what do you think this Cute Alien will look like?" asked Mao, glancing at Misora.  
"I don't know, I say," Misora admited. "Perhaps it will not be as cute, I say."  
_Maybe_, thought Mao. _I mean, we've seen them quite a bit._  
They watched as the capsule burst open a few hundred feet over the ocean.  
"No matter how often we see them..." Mao said.  
"...they always seem cute, I say," Misora finished.  
It was a Goldfish Alien. Mao and Misora were quite entranced by this one. They snapped out of it, though, when it landed.  
In the ocean!  
"Whaa--?! This Cute Alien can swim!" Mao practically yelled.  
"This is out of my league, I say," Misora said.  
Mao began to get tears in her eyes, as she said, "What should we do, Misora-Chan?"  
"Under the circumstances, I don't think we can defend, I say," said Misora, and they did the only thing they could do in such a situation.  
They cried.

* * *

The door to the "Special Equipment/Material Room" was ajar when Rikushiro reached it.  
_Don't tell me he already got it_, thought Rikushiro as he ran into the room. He searched every shelf, emptied every drawer, and checked in every crevice.  
"No, it's not in here! Or here! Or here! Or here!" said Rikushiro as he searched. Finally, he growled in frustration, "I can't find the third clover we seized from the Alien!"  
"Rikushiro," said a voice next to Rikushiro. He turned. It was Sorajiro!  
"Sorajiro..." said Rikushiro. "So, where is it? Give it to me right now! That third clover is property of the Ground Defense Force! I'd rather you get it than the Chief of Staff of the Sea Defense Force!"  
Sorajiro looked genuinely bambuzzled. "Don't be ridiculous. By the time I got here, it was already gone."  
"What?! It was?" muttered Rikushiro.  
Then, both of them heard a low chuckling. They both looked into the darkest corner of the room. There was a man standing there. He had a cigarette in his mouth. Both Rikushiro and Sorajiro recognized him instantly, for he was Chief of Staff of the Sea Defense Force...  
Adalbert von Maruyama.  
He stepped out of the shadows. He was a man almost as tall as Rikushiro, if a few inches shorter. He had silver hair that he had slicked back, and brilliant green eyes. He wore a black business suit and an orange neckerchief.  
"What are you doing here?" said Sorajiro, though he already knew what he was doing there.  
"N-no way!" said Rikushiro, thinking what Sorajiro was thinking.  
"Oh, _ja_, _ja_ indeed, way," said Adalbert, his voice low-pitched, with a thick German accent.  
"Don't tell me," said Sorajiro. "You have--"  
"_Ja_, I have a granddaughter," said Adalbert. "Zhe only van who can unlock zhe power of zhat third clovah izh my Zylvie."  
"Give us the third clover, right now!" Rikushiro demanded.  
"Zhat is not possible," said Adalbert, shaking his head. "Azh I have already given zhe clovah to Zylvie. And she should be arriving at zhe Cute Alien landing site right about...now."

* * *

"You're in a tight pinch, as expected," said the voice behind Mao and Misora. Although it was unmistakably that of a eight-year-old, it was much lower than normal, and had a strong British accent. Mao and Misora stopped crying, and turned.  
The girl behind them had short dark-gray hair that went midway down her back, where it was tied by a green bow. She wore a black skirt, a beige shirt, and a black tie. She had the pale complexion of a non-Japanese. Her emerald eyes matched her shoes. She also looked somewhat ditzy, a spaced-out look on her face. She scratched the back of her head embarassedly.  
"So sorry for interrupting," said the girl apologetically. "I guess I, the officer, should introduce myself. My name is Sylvia Maruyama."  
"Sil...silva..." said Mao, having difficulty pronouncing Sylvia's name.  
"That's alright. You can just call me Sylvie if you want," said Sylvie.  
"Well, we're Defense Force members," said Mao,"and we are currently defending Japan from one of the Cute Aliens."  
"We suggest that you run away, I say," said Misora.  
"I, the officer, appreciate you recommendation, and I would run away, but," Sylvie began to step toward the shoreline. "...I'm here for a very special reason, so I won't run away."  
"Why?" asked Mao. Sylvie turned toward them, holding something in her hand.  
"Because I'm a Seaman Recruit in the Sea Defence Force," said Sylvie, the object in her hand the third clover.  
"Ehhh?!" shouted both Mao and Misora. "You're a member of the Sea Defense Force, I ask?!" shouted Misora.  
"Really, truly?" asked Mao.  
"Cross my heart, hope to die," said Sylvie.  
"We still need proof that you really are a Sea Defense Force member, I say!" said Misora.  
"Alright then," said Sylvie, putting her clover on her chest. "I guess I should get into my..."  
Sylvie saluted. "...Type 2 Marine Gear...download!" She touched the clover's face. "Kai-bo!"  
In a flash of light, Sylvie was in an outfit similiar to Mao's, only the clover and baton were dark-gray. The hat was also different; it looked incredibly swollen, like some weird flotation device.  
"Seaman Recruit Sylvia Maruyama of the Sea Defence Force!" Sylvie saluted. "The Japanese seas are my seas!"  
Sylvie turned back toward the ocean, and Mao said, "Give it your best shot!"  
However, Sylvie just stood there, not budging, occasionally letting out an "uh..." Finally, Mao asked, "What's the matter?"  
"I, the officer, heard that the water is very cold around this time," said Sylvie in a worried voice.  
"Huh? C'mon, defend the country!" whined Mao. Sylvie thought, _I, the officer, have to tell them..._  
Sylvie turned toward Mao and Misora, "To tell you two the truth, I, the officer, can't swim!"  
Mao instantly began crying, and shouted, "NO WAY!"  
Sylvie seemed more interested in Mao's reaction. "Hey, that was an amazing reaction, mate! Could you please do it again?"  
Mao tried to scold Sylvie, but all that came out of her mouth was an "Ehhh!" She tried again: "Sylvie-Chan, aren't you interested in defending the country?"  
"That's very sad, I say!" said Misora, tears welling in her eyes as well.  
"Uh....OK. I'm sorry," said Sylvie, being very serious for the first time since she met Mao and Misora. "I, the officer, am being very foolish, especially since my grandfather is the Chief of Staff of the Sea Defence Force. So, I, the officer, have got to do what I got to do..."  
Suddenly, Sylvie's face brightened. "Hey, I know! I'll show a trick I learned from Grampa!" She raised her baton so that Mao and Misora could see it. "He said that if you pray to this baton, 'I want to protect Japan'," explained Sylvie, "something awesome will happen."  
"Really?"  
"That is terrific, I say!"  
"I, the officer, am going to give it a try!" Sylvie said, running to the shoreline again. She held her baton in front, looking almost like she was meditating. She began chanting, "Let something awesome happen..."  
After about a minute of chanting, Sylvie stopped, and said, "Hey, nothing's happenin'."  
"You're kidding!" shouted Mao, crying again.  
"Now it's hopeless, I say," Misora cried as well.  
Sylvie half-turned to them, and mentioned, "Well, I suppose we all fail every once in a while."  
Suddenly, Sylvie's clover began glowing white. The glow traveled down Sylvie's arm, and into a gray ball on one end of her baton. As this occured, Sylvie was saying, "What? What's this? What's happening?"  
"Wow, how pretty!" said Sylvie, commenting on the light.  
"Sylvie-Chan!"  
"Is that safe, I ask?"  
"It's pretty," Sylvie said, "so I, the officer, guess it is safe."  
No sooner than Sylvie said this, than her baton suddenly began quivering. After a few seconds, a broad beam of pure light shot out to sea. The beam entered the water. After a few more seconds, a wave suddenly sprouted from the water, rushing toward them. They were too stunned from the initial blast, and were thoroughly drenched by the wave. Sylvie broke the silence by saying, "Well, then, that was a surprise, wasn't it?"  
Mao's only response was, "Ah-ooh-eh-ooh!" Misora looked out to the sea, and said to Mao, "Mao-Chan, you really have to see this, I say!"  
Mao opened her eyes, and looked in the direction Misora was pointing. She saw the Fish Alien, unconscious, floating on the surface of the water.  
"We did it!" Mao said, excitedly.  
"Yes, we certainly did, I say!" replied Misora.  
"I did it! I, the officer, am pretty amazing!" said Sylvie.  
"You can say that again, I say," joked Misora.  
"I did it!" said Sylvie. "I, the officer, am pretty amazing!"  
Then all three Defense Force members shouted, "Victory!"

* * *

Miss Kagome was completely dumbfounded. A third Defense Force member who was eight years old? One was bad enough, but _three_? She thought wearily, _What the heck is happening to the Defense Forces?_  
  
**_ TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	5. Shall We Eat Something For Now?

(**Note**: Sorry for the lack of updates in the past month or so. I was busy lately, battling a writer's two worst enemies: school and writer's block. I will make sure to update more frequently to make up for this, especially since the school year just ended. Once again, sorry. And now, without further ado...)  
  
**_ Ground Defense Force  
Mao-Chan_**

* * *

**Chapter 5:  
Shall We Eat Something For Now?**  
  
"May, Day X.  
"Today we are going to read _Urashima Taro_. Everyone please get out your textbooks and turn to page 732," said Miss Kagome.  
It was the next day at school for Mao and Misora, though their minds were elsewhere. They were both thinking of Sylvia Maruyama in the Sea Defense Force. Although they only met her once, the three had already developed a good friendship. They were just wondering when they would see her again when the classroom door opened.  
Miss Kagome looked over at the door. "Yes, who is i---AAAAGGGHH!"  
Everyone in the classroom very quickly looked up at Miss Kagome, whose face was pale and sweaty, then to the door. Mao and Misora gasped in shock.  
Sylvie was standing there, looking perfectly normal (if looking brain- dead could be considered "normal"). One slight difference from the day before was that she was wearing half-moon glasses. Miss Kagome, though, was looking at Sylvie as though she were something the cat dragged in. As Sylvie walked up to her, Miss Kagome clutched her chest, panting heavily, then fainted and collapsed onto her desk. Sylvie stopped at Miss Kagome's desk, then turned to the class. After a moment, she spoke.  
"Uh...I, the officer, think that if our napping teacher had to say something to us all," Sylvie started, gesturing to the unconscious Miss Kagome. She didn't look like she noticed the stunned looks on everyone's faces. Mao and Misora were possibly the most stunned out of them all. They didn't expect to see her again so soon.  
"This is what she would say: 'OK, class, pay attention,'" continued Sylvie. "'This is Sylvia Maruyama, and she'll be joining our class today.' And I, the officer, would reply, 'You can just call me Sylvie.' She's probably thinking, 'please let her feel welcome'. I, the officer, will take my seat now."  
Sylvie then began walking through the desks in the room, trying to find the desk that suited her best. She eventually made it to the empty desk next to Mao opposite Misora, and sat down in it. After a few moments, Sylvie looked over at Mao and Misora.  
"How do you do?" said Sylvie, as though she were meeting them for the first time. Mao and Misora were quite confused.  
_Doesn't she remember us?_ Mao thought.  
_She must have short-term memory loss, I say_, Misora thought.  
"But we met before, Sylvie-Chan," Mao informed Sylvie.  
"Yes, we certainly did, I say," said Misora. Sylvie was somewhat confused for a moment, but then her expression changed from confusion to comprehension like a traffic light, and a smile crossed her face.  
"You remember us?" Mao asked.  
"Of course I do! How could I, the officer, forget?" Sylvie said, pointing at Mao. "You are Private E-2 Mao Onigawara of the Ground Defence Force, granddaughter of Chief of Staff Rikushiro Onigawara," she pointed towards Misora, "and you are Second Lieutenant Misora Tsukishima of the Sky Defence Force, granddaughter of Chief of Staff Sorajiro Tsukishima, right?"  
"Yes, that's right, I say!" exclaimed Misora.  
"Misora-Chan, isn't it amazing?" said Mao, "A Sea Defense member remembered exactly who we are!"  
Then a thought hit the both of them, and Mao decided to ask Sylvie.  
"Um, can you tell us why you didn't have glasses on yesterday, Sylvie- Chan?"  
"Well, my grandfather told me not to. It was a defence mission, remember? He doesn't want my, the officer's, glasses to break. I was wearing contact lenses yesterday. I, the officer, don't wear them much, because they hurt my eyes.  
"By the way," Sylvie said, apparently remembering something, "Would you two like a tour of the Sea Defence Force headquarters after school? They have such delicious tangerines!"  
"Yeah, OK!" said Mao.  
"I certainly would, I say!" said Misora.

* * *

Chinami and Yuriko were watching Mao, Misora, and Sylvie with binoculars from a distance. Chinami had an expression of mingled anger and shock, but Yuriko looked almost pleased.  
"I can't believe it," muttered Chinami, so low that even Yuriko, who was right next to her, could barely hear her. "Now they even have an eight- year-old girl in the Sea Defense Forces." The spite in her voice was so obvious that Yuriko could almost reach out and touch it.  
"Y-yeah," mumbled Yuriko. Then a thought struck her, a thought that caused even the mighty Galaxy the Great, King of the Cute Aliens, to tremble. She voiced this thought to Chinami: "Chinami-Chan, could it be possible these three are the ones mentioned in the Prophecy?"  
Chinami seemed to know exactly what Yuriko was talking about, because she looked at Yuriko, wide-eyed, and half-stated, half-shouted, "Impossible, Miss President! I did a full background check on them, and their parents are all full-blooded Earthlings! So they must be as well! How can you even think that?"  
"I know," said Yuriko, "It was just a thought." Both then looked over at Mao, Misora, and Sylvie again.  
_But they can use the Light of Kusanagi-Sama_, thought Yuriko, _Who knows what other abilities they will discover, if they are the Chosen Ones...Sylvie-Chan...those glasses of hers make her look cute...even though she already_ _is---_  
"Miss President, your ears!" Yuriko heard Chinami whisper in her ears. Yuriko looked up. Sure enough, her ears had popped out again. She pushed them back into her head just as Sylvie looked out the window in their direction.  
"Perhaps we should send a report to headquarters," said Chinami, "To send another swimming alien to Japan. We know the Sea Defense Force member can't swim, so we'll dispatch it far out to sea..."

* * *

The rest of the school day proceeded as usual, with the exception of Miss Kagome looking like she saw a ghost whenever she looked at Sylvie. Although Mao, Misora, and Sylvie didn't know, Kagome was in shock that she had to look after all three elementary school Defense Force members. Her first thoughts when she regained consciousness were, _Why is this happening to me?_  
The school day ended, and Mao, Misora, and Sylvie left for Defense Force headquarters. Sylvie lead them down a road Mao and Misora never noticed before (fortunately, Sylvie was wearing her glasses), which took them to the entrance to the Sea Defense Force headquarters.  
The layout of the Sea Defense Force headquarters was identical to that of the Ground and Sky Defense Forces, with the exception that the walls were jet-black. Mao and Misora complained of being sweaty a few times, but they managed. They were impressed by the scale and the modernity of the Sea Defense Force headquarters. As they toured the headquarters, Mao asked, "By the way, Sylvie-Chan, what's your Defense mecha like?"  
Sylvie looked at Mao bemusedly, then her face brightened. "Oh yeah! Follow me!" said Sylvie, running down a corridor. Mao and Misora ran after her. When they caught up with Sylvie, she was standing in front of a door. It was marked:  
  
**SEAMAN RECRUIT MARUYAMA'S DEFENSE MECHA  
NO UNAUTHORIZED PERSONNEL  
**  
Sylvie opened the door, and Mao and Misora's eyes widened in astonishment. "Amazing!" said Mao and Misora in unison. In the middle of a large pool in the center of the room was a large dark-gray submarine with a whale-like appearance. In its "mouth" were two graspers, each with two fingers and an opposing thumb. On either side was Sylvie's gray clover.  
"His name's Black Whale, but I call him Nahchan for short. Would you two like a tour of the sea?" asked Sylvie, and Mao and Misora accepted instantly. Within minutes, Nahchan was out in the ocean, floating through the depths.  
Mao and Misora were impressed. The control room of Nahchan was nothing more than a room with a window in the front, a ladder in the back that lead outside, and a table behind the window. On the table was a sunflower, though it had two bulbous eyes. Next to it was a pile of trading cards, all of which had Sylvie on them, with or without her glasses, in or out of her Type 2 Marine Gear. Next to _that_ was a bowl full of tangerines.  
Sylvie turned to the flower, and said to it, "Nahchan, prepare to rise." And it hit Mao and Misora what the sunflower was for. It was Nahchan; rather, it was Sylvie's way of communicating with it. The sunflower nodded, and Nahchan started to rise. In just moments, they were at the surface, bobbing like a small stone in a lake. They were looking at the mainland currently, and taking in the sights.  
"Look, there are the Hinata Apartments, I say!" said Misora, pointing towards a large hill. Mao and Sylvie looked, and sure enough, there it was in all of its beautiful glory. "My grampa told me that staying there is good luck for passing the Tokyo U entrance exam!" said Mao excitedly. "I, the officer, think I saw that place somewhere before..." said Sylvie in an awed voice. The three of them weren't quite sure, but they could have _sworn_ that they saw someone flying from it, tumbling through the air. 

* * *

"WHERE'S MAO?!" raged Rikushiro. He was in the Defense Force Strategies Room, asking everyone he could if they knew where Mao was. One of the operatives in the room decided to answer him.  
"Pardon me, sir, but my sister in the Sea Defense Forces says that she saw Private Onigawara and Second Lieutenant Tsukishima with Seaman Recruit Maruyama in the Sea Defense Force headquarters."  
There was a silence in the room, a silence so deep that it could almost be felt.  
"What-- what did you say?" muttered Rikushiro in a would-be calm voice. A vein was pulsing on his forehead.  
"I-I think she went over there to play," said the operative, "because they're currently offshore of the Hinata region in Seaman Recruit Maruyama's support mecha."  
"Chief of Staff!" called Kagome. Rikushiro ran over. "What is it, Miss Kagome?"  
"A Cute Alien capsule," said Kagome, back into 'military mode', "has been spotted falling towards the sea, just a mile or two from the coast of the Hinata region."  
"But why are you telling me this if it's out to sea?" roared Rikushiro, vein pulsing to the point of bursting in his forehead.  
"Because Private Onigawara is out to sea!" said Kagome, a clever smile crossing her face. At this realization, Rikushiro's vein stopped pulsing, and his rage was abated.  
"Miss Kagome, contact Private Onigawara and Second Lieutenant Tsukishima and warn them of this alien," said Rikushiro.  
"But what of the Sea Defense Force member?" asked Kagome. But this was a mistake, as the vein in Rikushiro's forehead began pulsing again.  
"What about her? That damned fool Adalbert, who made trading cards of his granddaughter to try and out-advertise Mao, should never have made her into a Sea Defense Force member." Everyone in the room flinched. They all knew that Rikushiro never swore unless he utterly hated someone, so they decided to do what he said.  
"R-roger," Miss Kagome replied shakily, then turned to a nearby computer monitor. 

* * *

"Would you two like a tangerine?" asked Sylvie. But before Mao and Misora could answer...  
_BEEP! BEEP!  
_ "_Private Onigawara! Second Lieutenant Tsukishima!_"  
Mao and Misora froze. It was Miss Kagome's voice. It was coming from Mao's clover, which flashed green every second or two.  
"_A Cute Alien has been seen falling from the sky to a location not too far from you! Please download your Type 2 Gears immediately!_"  
"Roger!"  
"Roger, I say!"  
Within moments, Mao and Misora were in their Type 2 Gears and Sylvie was standing before them, clapping.  
"Wow, that was pretty flashy, you two!" she was saying.  
"We're sorry, Sylvie-Chan..." began Mao.  
"...but we have to defend now, I say," finished Misora. Then they turned and began to climb the ladder. They heard Sylvie mutter, "That's too bad..." below them. When they tried to turn the handle and open the hatch...  
"It won't open!" exclaimed a surprised Mao.  
"It certainly will not, I say!" said a similiar Misora.  
"Well, I, the officer, guess that Nahchan doesn't open his hatch unless he's docked in the Sea Defence Force headquarters," said Sylvie below them. Mao and Misora were so surprised that they accidently let go of the ladder, falling down and landing on top of one another. They scrambled to their feet.  
"But that would mean that we will not be able to defend, I say!" Misora said exasperatedly.  
"Guess not," muttered Sylvie in an 'it-was-bound-to-happen' voice. She peeled a small piece of a tangerine off the one in her hand and put it in her mouth.  
"Sylvie-Chan, can't we go back to Defense Force headquarters so that Nahchan can dock?" asked Mao, equally panicstricken.  
"Well, that depends. Nahchan's mood changes from time to time. Today, Nahchan seems kind of moody and shy," said Sylvie, causing Mao and Misora to sweatdrop. But before anything else could be said, a large object crashed into the water, generating giant waves. The waves hit Nahchan, causing it to rock violently back and forth. Mao, Misora, and Sylvie were knocked to the floor; so was Sylvie's bowl of tangerines, many of which were squished. When the rocking stopped, they got back up. Sylvie's glasses were unbroken.  
"What the bugger was that?" exclaimed Sylvie, though her question was soon answered. Floating just a few yards ahead, was a...  
"That's the Cute Alien capsule!" shouted Mao. No sooner did she say this, than a TV next to the window lit up. It was Adalbert von Maruyama.  
"I am zhure you know vhat to do, Zylvie," said Adalbert, taking a puff from his cigarette.  
"Roger, grampa!" said Sylvie. Adalbert's platinum eyebrows lowered slightly.  
"Zhat's 'Chief of Stahff', Zylvie. And remove your glassez," corrected Adalbert.  
"Roger, Chief of Staff!" said Sylvie, who removed her glasses, and saluted. "Type 2 Marine Gear...download!" She touched the clover's face. "Kai-bo!"  
In a flash of light, Sylvie was her Type 2 Marine Gear once more.  
"Sylvia Maruyama of the Sea Defence Force!" Sylvie saluted. "The Japanese seas are my seas!"  
"Good luck, Zylvie," said Adalbert, and the screen went black. Sylvie turned to Mao and Misora, a ditzy look back on her face. "So, how am I, the officer, s'posed to defend?"  
Mao and Misora fell on their faces in shock. "Sylvie-Chan, _you're_ the Sea Defense Force member!" said Mao, struck by panic again.  
"You must defend, Sylvie-Chan, or else Japan and everyone in it will-- " said Misora, before Sylvie interrupted her.  
"I guess you're right," she said, then she smiled, "well, we should probably get something to eat first!"  
"What're you talking about?"  
"Why are you like this, I ask?"  
Mao and Misora then began a strange war chant that consisted of: "Defense! Defense!"  
"Well," said Sylvie, putting on her contact lenses, "You know what they say: 'you can't fight on an empty stomach.' Since we're out of tangerines, Nahchan here can catch fish with his magic hands," Sylvie turned toward the sunflower on her table, "Nahchan, catch fish."  
Instantly, Nahchan's two graspers reached out, feeling forward for any tasty morsel that may cross its path. Mao and Misora were both crying, upset that Sylvie cared more for food than defense.  
"What should we do? What should we do?!" cried Mao.  
"If this keeps up, we will not be able to defend, I say!" replied Misora.  
"Oh!" said Sylvie. "I, the officer, think Nahchan caught something!" Mao and Misora looked, but couldn't really see what it was that Nahchan had in its graspers; their eyes were still filled with tears.  
"It looks like a whale egg!" said Sylvie. She spoke to the sunflower, "Nahchan, spin it around." Nahchan did. "Aww, that's so cute!" said Sylvie at the sight. Mao and Misora's vision cleared, and they saw clearly what was in Nahchan's grasp. It was the Cute Alien capsule! Inside was a rather cute dolphin. "That's the..." Mao and Misora began to say, but Nahchan began banging the capsule against itself.  
"Wha-- Sylvie-Chan, tell Nahchan to stop!" shouted Mao.  
"If the Cute Alien is set loose, it will go after Japan, I say!" yelled Misora.  
But Sylvie seemed more interested in what Nahchan was doing. After a few seconds, the capsule opened with a POP. The Cute Alien emerged...  
...and its eyes were swirling around! It was out cold.  
"The Cute Alien is out of it!" said Mao, quite glad that they managed to defend.  
"It most certainly is, I say!" said Misora, feeling the same as Mao.  
"That's good to hear!" said Sylvie, who turned back to the Cute Alien. "So, you want to cook this or what?"  
"No!" "You mustn't, I say!" was the response. 

* * *

"This award for capturing a Cute Alien without a fight," said the Prime Minister before the Defense Force headquarters, "goes to Seaman Recruit Sylvia Maruyama of the Sea Defense Force!"  
He handed the medal to Sylvie, her glasses replacing her contacts, who immediately smiled widely and said, "Much obliged! I, the officer, will hang this up inside Nahchan's cockpit!"  
"Good for you...good for you..." muttered the Prime Minister, wiping sweat away with his handkerchief.  
Mao and Misora, who were standing in the crowd, felt glad that Sylvie had succeeded in another defense mission. Of course, she only succeeded by accident, just like her first defense mission. But they were sure Sylvie would eventually come into her own and begin to defend on purpose.  
Adalbert stood beside Sylvie. He, too, was glad for Sylvie, but for different reasons entirely. He was glad because she was able to defend before Rikushiro and Sorajiro's granddaughters. Adalbert thought, _Rikushiro...Sorajiro...it izh my little Zylvie who vill defend Japan..._

__  
_** TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	6. We Even Defend Small Animals

****

Ground Defense Force  
Mao-Chan

* * *

__

_ June, Day X.  
I am Yuriko Oozora. I remember that fateful day as if it happened yesterday. I remember my father sat on the couch across from me. I remember clutching my pillow tightly. I remember that he had something to tell me.  
"Yuriko," he said, and I remember seeing a tear in his eye. I remember having no idea that what he had to tell me would make him cry. "Have you ever wondered why there are no pictures of your mother at all?"  
I remember saying yes.  
"Well, the reason for that is...I mean, the truth is..." I remember him saying.  
"What is it, Daddy?" I remember asking. I was only eight years old when I said this. Almost ten years ago...  
"The truth is..." he couldn't seem to bring himself to say it. What the truth was was lost in Daddy's tears. After holding his head in his hands for several moments, he lowered his hands, his eyes swollen and red. Daddy mumbled, spoke so softly that I didn't hear him at all. He spoke again, louder this time, voice cracking slightly.  
"Your mother is an alien."  
I remember being confused at this, and something popping out of my head at this point. I remember my father looking to a spot just over my head, and saying, "Yes, Yuriko, it's true. If you want proof, look up."  
I remember looking up, and I remember my blood turning to ice when I saw...  
Two brown cat ears poking out of my auburn hair. I remember reaching with a hand on the side of my head, and feeling no ears on the side of my head. I remember a tear rolling down my cheek, and asking, "Daddy, what should I do?"  
I remember my father paled when I said this; this was the part that was possibly the last thing he wanted to tell me. I remember him getting up from his chair and walking up to me. I remember Daddy grabbing my hand in his hand, and whispering in my cat ear, "Yuriko, I hate to tell you this, but Your mother will be here tomorrow to take you to the Cute Alien Headquarters."  
I remember clutching Daddy's shirt, tears falling from my eyes like a waterfall, whimpering, "No, Daddy! I don't wanna go! I don't wanna be an alien! I wanna be a normal person like you and everyone else! I-I... _I love you!_"_  
_ I remember yelling those last three words. I remember Daddy hugging me tightly, tears in his eyes as well. I remember him saying, "I love you, too, Yuriko, but this goes beyond you and me. It's about the rest of our family. Because I married into a family of aliens, so I have ver little say in what will become of you when you grow up...I'm sorry."  
I remember crying so hard, I could hardly speak for the rest of the day. I remember that I couldn't bring myself to eat anything. I remember that I could hardly sleep that night, I was crying so hard. I remember realizing that this day changed my life forever. I remember thinking that I would never see my Daddy again. I thought I would never see my home, my friends, or Japan ever again. I remember feeling as though someone very close to me had died. I just wanted my emotional suffering to end...  
My mother, a cat alien, came for me the next day, as Daddy said she would. Much to my surprise, my best friend Chinami-Chan was also born to a cat alien, though not related to my mother. I remember this gave me some comfort in the fact that I wasn't going to lose all of my friends. I remember being trained in espionage, in how to be a spy. All though this, Chinami took it very seriously, but I frequently stumbled, because I missed Daddy. I missed my home. I missed Akamatsu School and all of my friends there. After at least a month, I remember getting used to the Cute Alien lifestyle, and feeling as though I was a Cute Alien all my life. But I never forgot Daddy, or what he said to me.  
_ You'll have to live as an alien from now on.

* * *

Yuriko woke up, panting and sweating. She looked around, but she was in her bedroom, as usual. _So it was all a dream_, she thought. _It felt more like a nightmare._ Yuriko looked over at her alarm clock, and as she did, the alarm went off.  
_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_  
Yuriko shut off the alarm, got dressed, and set off for school.  
  
** Chapter 6:  
We Even Defend Small Animals**  
  
"Ready..." said Miss Kagome, and she blew on the whistle in her hand. Yuriko and Chinami watched as the second-grade class began the race. As President of the Student Body, it was Yuriko's duty to supervise the younger classes, and she specifically requested that she watch the class of the elementary school Defense Force members.Yuriko, a digital camera around her neck, watched as Misora ran quite quickly, and saw Mao beginning to fall behind. Sylvie did not enter the race, as she didn't want her glasses broken. Yuriko giggled slightly, because Mao was running so slow, the next race started, before she even got to the finish line! Yuriko heard Chinami next to her, "Mao Onigawara, running level 1. Misora Tsukishima, running level 5. Sylvia Maruyama, running level unknown."  
Yuriko chuckled at the thought of Chinami going up to Sylvie and asking her to run as fast as she could. "What are you laughing about, Miss President?" said Chinami, rounding on Yuriko. "Um, nothing, Chinami-Chan," she quickly defended. She didn't want Chinami angry at her again. Chinami had been in a bad mood recently, because of the elementary school Defense Force members. Despite the obviousness of the answer, Chinami refused the fact that Mao, Misora, and Sylvie could be the ones mentioned in the Prophecy...  
"Ah-ooh-eh-ooh," moaned Mao after she finished the race. "I, myself, am a Ground Defense Force member, so why can't I run fast?"  
Yuriko saw Misora kneeling towards Mao, and saying, "Mao-Chan, don't worry. You will learn to run faster, I say. As my grandfather always says, 'You must endure today's defeat for the sake of tomorrow's victory,' I say."  
"OK, Miss President, we just need some visual reference material. How we're to get it, I don't know," muttered Chinami to Yuriko. Almost at once, Yuriko looked at the camera around her neck. She knew Chinami would kill her for this, but she knew she had to do it. Yuriko began to walk towards Mao, Misora, and Sylvie, who had just made Mao cry by calling her a klutz.  
"What d'you think you're doing, Miss President?!" yelled Chinami. Yuriko calmly turned. "I'm getting the video reference material, Chinami-Chan."  
"But they're the enemy, Miss President! We were given specific orders not to make contact with them. No verbal contact, no physical contact, not even _eye_ contact! Do you really want to put a black mark on your already tarnished record by fraternizing with them?"  
But Yuriko heard none of this, as she already was walking toward Mao and the other girls. "I really feel like I'm talking to a piece of wood sometimes..." muttered Chinami as Yuriko said 'hello' to Mao and the other girls.  
"What is it, Miss Yuriko? What is it that you want, I ask?" asked Misora. _They're cute from the distance Chinami-Chan keeps me, but they're even _more _adorable in person!_ thought Yuriko. She held up her camera. "Um, would you three mind if I took a picture of you? I'm such a fan of all three Defense Force members."  
"No, I wouldn't mind," said Mao, apparently pleased that someone would like a picture of her and her friends.  
"I don't mind at all, I say," said Misora, the 'eternal-blush' under her eyes expanding slightly.  
"Well, I, the officer, will pass," said Sylvie, sunlight reflecting off of her half-moon glasses.  
"How come?" asked Yuriko. _If I don't get visual reference material of all three, Galaxy the Great will have my head!_  
"Because I, the officer, am not really very foe-toe-jen-nick," said Sylvie, struggling to remember the word. Yuriko knew that she meant 'photogenic', or not very appealing in a photo. "I, the officer, always look sorta ditzy with my mouth hanging halfway open. I, the officer, don't know why." Sylvie gave them a demonstration, which to Mao, Misora, and Yuriko, was just Sylvie's ordinary face.  
"But you _alwa_ys look ditzy, Sylvie-Chan," said Mao, and Misora and Yuriko both nodded in agreement. Sylvie stared at them in bewilderment, then began chuckling. "You always say funny things, Mao-Chan," said Sylvie, still giggling slightly.  
"I do?" said Mao, and everyone in the immediate vicinity laughed. When things quieted down, Yuriko said, "OK, is it all right if I take just one picture, Sylvie-Chan?"  
"Um," said Sylvie, clearly thinking hard, "alright, but make me look pretty. Should I take off my, the officer's, glasses?"  
_I heard that she doesn't wear her glasses in defense missions_, thought Yuriko, who then said, "Sure, why not?"  
Within moments, Mao, Misora, and Sylvie were lined up for a shot. Mao and Misora smiled, but Sylvie looked as ditzy as ever. After a moment, Sylvie blurted out, "What's the answer to 5 plus 4 plus 2 plus 7 plus 12 plus 18 minus 46?"  
Yuriko did mental math and came up with 2, but Mao and Misora weren't so fortunate. they began counting on their hands, occasionally muttering 'ah-ooh-eh-ooh'. Sylvie grinned and gave the 'peace' sign.  
_Well, Mao-Chan and Misora-Chan didn't say that they should look pretty in this picture_, thought Yuriko, and she took a picture. The flash alerted Mao and Misora, who yelped.  
"Well, that was fun!" sang Sylvie, replacing her glasses. "Shall we do that again?"

* * *

"You _do_ realize that you're a spy, don't you, Miss President?" questioned Chinami, flicking through the photos that Yuriko had took with her digital camera. They featured Mao, Misora, and Sylvie in various different poses. The more she flicked through them, the deeper her brow furrowed.  
"Now they know everything there is to know about you!" half-stated, half-screamed Chinami, burying her head in her hands. "Galaxy the Great's gonna be furious with us!"  
"But you know what they say, Chinami-Chan," began Yuriko, but a raging Chinami interrupted her. "I don't care _what_ they say, Miss President! You were fraternizing with the enemy, and that's all that matters!"  
Yuriko said, bewildered, "Did I do something bad?"  
"Infinitely bad," hissed Chinami. Instantly, Yuriko went into a fetal position, and began repeating, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, all I do is mess up..."  
Chinami sighed frustratedly, got up, and walked up to the window. _But what I'd like to know_, thought Chinami, _is how Onigawara and her friends can use the Light of Kusanagi-Sama. They used it two times already... But I refuse to believe that they're the Chosen Ones in the Prophecy! The Prophecy said that Kusanagi-Sama would ---_  
But Chinami's thoughts were interrupted, as she heard a small rapping coming from the window. She heard Yuriko say, "What is it, Chinami-Chan?" Chinami opened the window, and in jumped...  
"Aww, that's so cute!" squealed Yuriko.  
It was a small Mouse Alien. Both Yuriko and Chinami recognized him instantly as an Alien Spy like them, named Jirocho. When he heard Yuriko call him cute, Jirocho blushed slightly.  
"Right on time, Agent Jirocho!" said Chinami, holding a small computer chip. She had downloaded every photo Yuriko took, and the information they had collected, into it. Information such as height, weight, age, et cetera. She attached the computer chip to a collar on Jirocho's neck.  
"Can you take this information on the elementary school Defense Force members to Headquarters for us?" asked Chinami. Jirocho nodded shortly, and bounded back toward the window. He climbed quickly up the chair, and jumped out the window. Yuriko and Chinami didn't worry; Jirocho always landed on his feet. But then -  
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"  
Yuriko and Chinami both ran to the window, fearing for Jirocho's life... and for once Chinami was thankful to see Mao and the other girls, who were cleaning the grass below. The shriek wasn't from Jirocho; it was from Misora when Jirocho landed on her head. At once, Jirocho leapt off, landed on all fours on the ground, and bolted toward the bushes. As he did, Mao, Misora, and Sylvie talked amongst each other:  
"What was that, Misora-Chan?"  
"I have no idea, I say!"  
"Maybe it was Orochi..."  
"Who's that, Sylvie-Chan?"  
"I, the officer, think it's a nice name for a cute little mousie..."  
Yuriko and Chinami heard the sound of purring. They turned toward the sound; so did Mao, Misora, and Sylvie. They were horrified; a black-and- grey cat had cornered Jirocho in front of a tree.  
"A cat cornered the little mouse!" they heard Mao shout.  
"It certainly did, I say!" Misora was heard to say.  
"Maybe the cat's name is Orochi..." said Sylvie, clearly unaware that a life was on the line.  
Yuriko and Chinami didn't want to call attention to themselves, so they crossed their fingers that Jirocho would get out of this alive. They then heard Mao say something that they didn't want to hear at all. "Defense Force Headquarters! Come in! This is Private Onigawara!" Chinami turned to Yuriko. "Miss President, we can't let them find out that Jirocho is a Cute Alien!" And they bolted.  
They ran down the corridors as quickly as they could. As they ran, they bumped into Miss Kagome, nearly knocking her to the floor. "What d'you think you're doing, you two?" said Miss Kagome, her eyebrows lowered so low that they almost formed a monobrow. "Can't you read the signs?" She pointed to a sign on the wall that said:  
  
**NO RUNNING IN THE HALLS!**  
  
"Sorry, Miss Kagome," said Yuriko, "But my pet mouse is being attacked by a cat outside! Mao-Chan and her friends are there, and Mao-Chan may download her Type 2 Ground Gear!"  
"What?! She is?" said Miss Kagome, putting a hand to her mouth. Then she raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Wait. How do you know all this? And how do you know I work for the Defense Forces?"  
"Well, it's pretty common knowledge that you, Mao-Chan, and her friends work for the Defense Forces," said Chinami, and it was true. "And we saw all this out the window as we were cleaning our homeroom." And this was untrue. Miss Kagome, however, fell for it. "Well, I suppose I can trust you, Miss Noki," said Miss Kagome, "Your best friend, Miss Oozora here, _is_ the President of the Student Body, after all," and she bolted in the direction of the yard where Mao and her friends were. Yuriko and Chinami silently ran after her.  
"Chinami-Chan, why'd you say all that stuff?" asked Yuriko. "What if this makes Miss Kagome untrustworthy of Mao-Chan and the other girls?"  
"Never mind that, Miss President," answered Chinami, "What I said to Mishima could have been the difference that decided Jirocho's fate! Besides, _you_ helped out!" And Yuriko realized Chinami was right.  
As they approached the door to the yard where Mao and her friends were, they heard Miss Kagome shouting, "Private Onigawara, what're you doing?"  
When Yuriko and Chinami looked out, the scene wasn't very different from when they left, with two obvious exceptions: Mao was in her Type 2 Ground Gear, and the cat was lying on the ground, unconscious. Jirocho was still huddled against the tree. Mao, Misora, and Sylvie turned toward Miss Kagome, and shouted in unison, "Miss Kagome!"  
Miss Kagome pointed towards Mao's clover and shouted, "And why did you download your Type 2 Ground Gear? Why? Why?!"  
"Well, the thing is, we saw this cat here begin to attack this mouse, I say," began Misora.  
"And I, myself, wanted to defend it, but Operative Maeda said 'no'..." continued Mao.  
"Until Mao-Chan's grampa said that she could defend any animal, no matter how small, and let her dowload her gear," said Sylvie.  
"And then I, myself, downloaded my Type 2 Ground Gear and hit the cat on its head, and it's knocked out now. The mouse has been defended," finished Mao. Kagome's anger faded away when the story was told from their perspective.  
"Well, I'm glad that Miss Oozora's mouse is safe," said Kagome to Mao, Misora, and Sylvie.  
"That was Miss Yuriko Oozora's pet mouse, I ask?" said Misora so loudly, that Jirocho jumped and finally realized the cat was out. Miss Kagome held out her hands, and Jirocho climbed into them. Miss Kagome looked up, and saw Yuriko and Chinami. She walked up to them, holding Jirocho out, and said, "Here's your mouse back, Miss Oozora."  
"Thank you, Miss Kagome. See you tomorrow," said Yuriko, taking Jirocho. Yuriko and Chinami then left the school as quickly as possible. As soon as they were sure that noone was around, Yuriko put Jirocho on the ground. "Now, you can finally deliver the information on Mao-Chan and her friends to headquarters," said Yuriko as Jirocho scampered off. "Chinami- Chan, isn't Mao-Chan great at defending?"  
Chinami glared and said, "Miss President, don't praise the enemy."  
Yuriko once again went into a fetal position and, once again, began repeating, "I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, all I do is mess up..."  
Chinami, once again, sighed frustratedly, thinking,_ I swear, things are_ always _like this..._

* * *

"Hey, Miss Kagome, you wanna hear a song about defense myself, Misora-Chan, and Sylvie-Chan wrote today?" said Mao as she, Misora, Sylvie, and Miss Kagome walked to the Defense Force Headquarters. Miss Kagome thought, then said, "Erm, why not?"  
At once, Mao, Misora, and Sylvie began singing as one. And the song went:  
"Defense, defense, we'll do our best!"  
"I, myself, defend the ground!" sang Mao solo.  
"And I defend the sky!" Misora sang solo after Mao finished.  
"And I defend the sea, so you can count on me!" Sylvie's solo went.  
"Defense, defense, we'll do our best! Defense, defense, we'll always do our best!"  
And the song ended. "Very impressive, girls," said Miss Kagome. "You three should join the choir. You'd sure give Miss Oozora a run for her money!"  
And the four walked off toward the Defense Force Headquarters, giggling all the way...  
  
_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	7. Project: Defense Barrier

**_Ground Defense Force  
Mao-Chan_**

* * *

**Chapter 7:  
Project: Defense Barrier**  
  
June, Day X.  
It was about three days since the 'Mouse Incident', as the Defense Forces referred to it now. Mao was in the Defense Force Target Range, standing before several targets painted with Cute Aliens' faces. She held her baton before her, almost in a praying position.  
"Mao," came Rikushiro's voice over the PA, "concentrate on your baton. Utilize your Spirit of Defense to hit the targets!"  
"Yessir!" shouted Mao, who then began chanting "Defense!" and she began to say it with more and more gusto as she chanted. After nearly a minute of chanting, Mao saw thar, to her amazement, one end of her baton was glowing a bright-white light. "Good job, Mao!" said Rikushiro's delighted voice over the PA. "Now, Mao, break the targets!"  
"Yessir!" shouted Mao again, this time concentrating on sending the light on the end of her baton towards one of the targets. She was concentrating so much that she barely heard Miss Kagome shouting, "Chief of Staff, the space beam fired by Private Onigawara is unstable!"  
Mao heard the space beam shoot out and hit something. Mao looked up expectantly, then yelped in dismay when she saw that all of the targets were OK. And that there was now a gaping hole in the wall above them. But, strangely, the ball of light was still on the end of her baton.  
"Don't cry over spilt milk, Mao!" said Rikushiro, who had now ran into the room. "Try again! Keep trying till you can hit 'em with _your eyes closed_!"  
And Mao did try again. But she was so flustered from her first failed shot that she missed completely. Suddenly, her baton began to act with a mind of its own, firing in every direction at random. More than once a blast would nearly hit Rikushiro, who would dodge in the nick of time and shout, "Hey, watch where you're firing, Mao!" But Mao had almost no control over her baton, let alone her aim.  
After nearly a minute of uncontrolled chaos, during which Rikushiro hid behind one of the targets, Mao had completely obliterated the wall behind the targets, and all of the targets were perfectly fine. By this time, however, Mao had gained control of her baton and the space beam once more, and was preparing to hit the targets. "Get outta there, Grandpa!" she shouted towards Rikushiro.  
"That's 'Chief of Staff', Mao!" corrected Rikushiro as he ran out from behind the targets and into the booth, where Miss Kagome was.  
And so in less than a minute, Mao had controlled the space beam, and hit all of the targets.  
"Good job, Private Onigawara," said Miss Kagome's PA voice, "You hit all the targets in exactly 93.2 seconds with an accuracy rate of 98%."

* * *

Later that day, when Mao left Ground Defense Force headquarters, she ran into Misora outside . Both of them still had their Type 2 Gear downloaded. "So, Misora-Chan? How did you do in Target Practice?" asked Mao. Misora seemed excited, "I hit all of my targets in 37.1 seconds with an accuracy rate of 94%, I say. How did you do, Mao-Chan, I ask?" Mao felt a twinge in her spine, and hung her head sadly. "Mao-Chan, what's wrong, I ask?" "I, myself, took 93.2 seconds to hit them all," Mao confessed.  
"Ehh?! But why did it take you so long to hit them, I ask?" asked Misora, clearly befuddled that Mao could take so long. "I'll tell you on the way to Sylvie-Chan's target practice," said Mao, as the two turned towards Sea Defense Force headquarters. _Hopefully, Sylvie-Chan will be slower than I, myself, was_, Mao thought, _That would make myself feel better...  
_

* * *

"You hit all the targets in exactly 9.4 seconds with an accuracy rate of 100%. Congratulatons, Seaman Sylvia," said the Sea Defense Force operative to Sylvie. Mao just sat there with her jaw dropped. Sylvie did better than Mao did, and Mao was in the Defense Forces much longer than Sylvie.  
Suddenly, Sylvie put her hands behind her head and yawned, "This is far too easy. I, the officer, feel bored." "You do?" asked the operative. At once, tears began rolling down Mao's face at this fact.  
"Boring, boring, _totally_ boring," said Sylvie, walking out of the Target Room. As she walked by Mao, she grinned mischieviously at her. Misora was just as flustered as Mao was, though Misora was not nearly as close to tearing up as Mao was. Misora took out a tissue in her pocket, and started wiping away Mao's tears, saying, "Don't cry, Mao-Chan. Sylvie-Chan is just rubbing salt on the wound, I say!"  
But Misora's words didn't stop Mao from crying her eyes out. _How could Sylvie-Chan have done better than I, myself, did?_ she thought to herself.

* * *

Rikushiro rushed to the Defense Force Strategies Room. Kagome had something important to tell him, something about a 'new defense strategy', so Rikushiro made best possible haste to the Strategies Room. When he got there, he saw Kagome, as usual, standing before the TV monitor that displayed slide-shows, motion pictures, and the like. Rikushiro took a seat in the front row; he wanted the best possible view of the strategy that Kagome had in mind.  
"Please begin, Miss Kagome," Rikushiro said.  
"Yes, sir," said Kagome. "This is a new strategy involving the elementary school Ground Defense Force member. This strategy is called 'Project: Defense Barrier'. Now, will you please turn your attention to the screen behind me?"  
The lights dimmed, and the screen showed a slide of Mao firing a space beam at a cat-like Cute Alien, which was crying.  
"The space beams fired by Private Onigawara and the other elementary school Defense Force members are apparently very powerful. However, our computer simulations show that if the beams are directed at the Cute Aliens, it could look like an act of bullying," the slide changed to one of Mao being yelled at by various people, "and the public outcry and ultimate demise of the Defense Forces will be inevitable. However..."  
The slide changed to one of the three elementary school Defense Force members surrounding the same cat Alien. "...if all three elementary school Defense Force members form a triangle around the Cute Alien, they can fire their space beams in a triangular formation and secure the Cute Alien for further transport."  
The slide changed to a similiar one, but there was now a broad beam of light traveling from the ends of the girls' batons to the ends of the one next to them, forming a triangle of light. The Cute Aliens had a speech bubble over it, saying 'Oh no, I can't move!'  
"And so the Cute Alien can be captured while maintaining its cuteness and minimizing damage to the surrounding area. This is 'Project: Defense Barrier', sir," said Kagome as she saluted. _I hope he likes it. I racked my brains tryin' to come up with a strategy_, thought Kagome.  
Rikushiro, with his hand cupped over his chin, said, "I get it. It's crystal clear to me. It is no wonder to me that you could concieve of such a brilliant strategy, Miss Kagome."  
"Thank you, sir," Kagome replied. _Thank goodness he likes this new strategy. I thought that he wouldn't like it since 2nd Lieutenant Tsukishima and Seaman Sylvia are involved in it.  
_ "However..." said Rikushiro, standing up and walking up to the slide-show projector. "...I don't like the fact that involves all three girls. Is there no way for Mao to defend on her own?!"  
"_Ja_, even wizzout such a project-plahn, my Zylvie is perfect!"  
"Well, at least my granddaughter doesn't need seeing glasses!" said Rikushiro, looking up at Sorajiro and Adalbert, sitting in the back row, then turning back to Kagome. "How long have these two been here, Miss Kagome?"  
"Well, they've been in here since before you came in here, sir," said Kagome, shaking slightly. She was trying not to get Rikushiro_ too_ angry. He had to watch his blood pressure, after all.  
"We don't need a combined strategy against the Cute Aliens," stated Sorajiro, "The Sky Defense Forces and my little Misora are all Japan needs to be protected." He raised Okita-San, his caricature doll. "Right?" he asked it. He squeezed Okita-San in agreement.  
"But, sirs, the Cabinet has already approved of the plan, and incorporated it into the dispatch orders." Kagome knew she would regret saying this the moment the words slipped out of her mouth. At once all three Chiefs of Staff turned to her, eyes closed almost to the point of slits. "What?" the three of them hissed.  
Then all three of them leaned toward her shouting, one after the other, "Well, tell them the plan is no good!" "Well, at least my granddaughter is number one," muttered Rikushiro, a smug grin plastered on his face.  
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but my Misora is number one," retorted Sorajiro. "Zylvie is wahn-derful!" said Adalbert in response. This caused all three Chiefs of Staff to lose their cool and their smiles, and they shouted at each other, "My granddaughter is _clearly_ number one!"

* * *

Yuriko and Chinami were watching Mao, Misora, and Sylvie again. Yuriko had no idea why; they had gotten all the information they would need to play on Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's weaknesses.  
"Chinami-Chan," asked Yuriko, "why are we still watching Mao-Chan and her friends? We already got the information on them that headquarters asked for."  
"Because, Miss President," Chinami snapped, "headquarters was attacked!" (**Author's Note**: This is where the AU comes in.) Yuriko was shocked. "Really?! By who? What'd they take?" "That's the thing, Miss President. These invaders, strangely enough, only took our information on Onigawara and her friends. As for who, well, read this newspaper clipping," and Chinami handed Yuriko a newspaper clipping from the Cute Alien Newspaper, _The Squeakly World News_. It was written in the Cute Alien language, but Yuriko could read it, being raised for almost ten years of her life by Cute Aliens.  
  
**_CUTE ALIEN DATABASE ROBBED!_**  
Much to the shock of our leader, Galaxy the Great (142 years old), a battalion of strange aliens attacked the Cute Alien Database yesterday and stole information from it. Four Cute Sentries set to guard the information were killed by these unusual invaders, whom a survivor described as "shadows with flaming eyes", before going insane and having to be put to sleep.  
"This is outrageous," said Galaxy the Great in an interview earlier today. "These unexpected attacks are uncalled for. These invaders must be completely devoid of emotion. We shall track down these aliens, intercept them, and terminate them."  
Strangely enough, the only data stolen was the information collected by Yuriko Oozora and Chinami Noki (both 17 years old) on the Light of Kusanagi-Sama-wielding Defense Force girls, who already captured a number of our forces. For what purpose, we can only guess.  
  
"Four Cute Sentries were killed?" Yuriko gulped. "Yes, I'm afraid so, Miss President," said Chinami, who was shocked as well. "And Cute Sentries aren't exactly easy to take down, either," said Yuriko, shocked that there was death on the Cute Alien home planet.  
"What shocks me most, Miss President," said Chinami, "Is that these invaders supposedly killed the Cute Sentries without a second thought. I mean, Onigawara and her friends, at worst, would knock out Cute Aliens. To know that there's some alien race out there that has no problem with killing Cute Aliens is scary."  
And both of them resumed watching Mao and her friends. Mao currently had a large tire tied behind her by a rope that went around her waist. Though Mao usually ran slow, she was running slower than ever with the tire tied to her.  
"Poor Mao-Chan..." muttered Yuriko. Chinami must have heard her, because she said, "Don't sympathize with them! They are starting to display more of the powers of Kusanagi-Sama than we anticipated! Whether they're the Ones Chosen by Kusanagi-Sama or not, they're still a threat to Operation: Japan Collection!"  
"So, do we have to get our information again, Chinami-Chan?" asked Yuriko. She didn't want to seem odd, going up to Mao and her friends, asking for more pictures. But Chinami smiled wickedly, "No, Miss President. Quite the contrary. Fortunately, I saved all our data onto a separate disk, and Jirocho is delivering the data to headquarters as we speak. I even sent a request to the top to start a full-scale attack."  
"What?!" said Yuriko. "A full-scale attack? You can't be _that_ desperate, can you, Chinami-Chan?" Chinami turned, an annoyed look on her face. "It's not that we're desperate as much as we want to overwhelm the Defense Forces."  
_BEEP! BEEP!_  
Chinami pulled out her cell-phone, and spoke into it, "Yes. Chinami Noki speaking... Really? That's good to hear. Okay, talk to you later. Bye," and she hung up. "Good news, Miss President. Headquarters is moving forward with a full-scale assault. The first Cute Alien trained for this will arrive in Japan in just an hour or so."  
"Oh," said Yuriko, as she turned back towards Mao and her friends. _Forgive me, Mao-Chan_, thought Yuriko. Little did she know she wasn't the only one thinking that.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Ground Defense Force Control Room...  
"Chief of Staff Onigawara! A Cute Alien capsule has been detected! It will land in Japan in just an hour!" shouted Kagome. Rikushiro ran over. "Put it on the monitor, Miss Kagome!" "Roger, sir!" and when Kagome saw the dimensions of the capsule, she gasped, paling in the face. "What's wrong, Miss Kagome?" Kagome could hardly get the words out, "It appears this Cute Alien capsule is 125 times bigger than all previous ones! It has a width of 47 meters!"  
"What?! An Alien that's both Cute _and_ big?" shouted Rikushiro. "It appears that way, Chief of Staff! Either that or an army of Cute Aliens! This seems too big a job for Mao-Chan alone."  
"If you're hinting that I should ask Sorajiro and Adalbert to use the Defense Barrier," said Rikushiro, "I can't!" "Why not?!" asked Kagome. "Because I know that Sorajiro and Adalbert will never agree. They are stubborn," and Rikushiro pointed at himself, "And _I_ am stubborn, too!"  
Kagome sweatdropped, "Chief of Staff..."

* * *

"Mao-Chan, over-exercising is bad for you, I say!" said Misora worriedly. As always in gym class, Sylvie was sitting off to the side, her glasses on. "Misora-Chan's right, you know. Moderation in everything all the way is the way to live."  
"I know that, Sylvie-Chan," said Mao in a strained voice. "But I heard of a 'Defense Barrier' at Defense Force headquarters, and it involves all three of us. I, myself, don't want to be the weak link!"  
"But Mao-Chan..." but Misora knew that when Mao started something, she would keep it up until she succeeded. The school bell rang.  
"Well, see you tomorrow," said Mao after a few minutes, untying the tire and running towards Defense Force headquarters. She didn't run any faster than before. After about fifteen minutes, Mao arrived at the Ground Defense Force's Control Room.  
When she got in there, she immediately saw Rikushiro and Miss Kagome discussing the Defense Barrier. They didn't realize that Mao was there.  
"I don't care if the Cabinet ordered all three out, I'm not using the Defense Barrier!"  
"But Chief of Staff, what you're doing could get us in a lot of hot water!"  
"That doesn't matter, I'm not gonna ask Sorajiro and Adalbert for help! That's the _last_ thing I'd do!"  
"I'll go by myself," said Mao, walking up to them. They looked over at her, slightly startled.  
"Because I'm a Ground Defense Force member. But before I, myself, leave to defend, I want to know what this Cute Alien's like," said Mao, walking up to the computer Miss Kagome was standing at. When she saw how large the capsule was, she felt fear for the first time since her first dispatch. Finally, Mao said, "It's seems a little scary, but I'll still go to defend!"  
Rikushiro smiled, "That's the defense spirit, Mao..."  
"Be careful defending, Mao-Chan," said Miss Kagome, her eyebrows lowered in worry.  
"I, myself, will. I always am," said Mao. Mao saluted, and said, "Type 2 Ground Gear...download!"

* * *

Mao was standing in the elevator leading down to the hangar where Miikun was parked. She was filled with anxiety, as she had to defend against a Cute Alien that was over 45 meters tall, alone. Well, not quite alone. _Doesn't matter_, thought Mao, _I, myself, will defend all the same!_  
_DING!_  
The elevator doors opened, revealing the hangar. It was a sparse room, with a few things scattered here and there. A tool box here, a wrench there, and Miikun in the middle. Mao walked over to Miikun, a smile wide on her face. She hadn't used Miikun the past few defense missions. Not since they first met, actually. But Mao always came down to make sure he was never lonely.  
Mao said to Miikun, "Miikun, let's defend together again, okay?" Miikun nodded its turret, and Mao giggled. "Let's go defend against the big Cute Alien!" said Mao as Miikun rolled out of the hangar onto the road leading to where the Cute Alien was due to land. Suddenly...  
"Mao-Chan!"  
Mao looked up, and saw Misora, in her Type 2 Flight Gear, sitting on the wing of Hayate. "Mao-Chan," she said again as she floated down, "Getting the drop on us is no fair, I say! I want to defend with you, Mao-Chan, I say!"  
"Misora-Chan, thank you," said Mao, a tear of joy in her eye. Both were happy that they didn't have to defend alone.  
"I, the officer, am here, too," came a voice below. Both Mao and Misora looked down; Sylvie, in her Type 2 Marine Gear, was clamboring up onto Miikun. Apparently, she was wearing her contact lenses in place of her glasses, as she always did in defense missions. "Well, it looks like we're all here, doesn't it?"  
"Yep, it does!" said Mao. The three elementary school Defense Force members joined hands, and Misora said, "Together, we shall activate the Defense Barrier and defend Japan from the giant Cute Alien, I say!"

* * *

"Chief of Staff! Look. They want to defend together," said Kagome, pointing at the monitor. To her surprise, Rikushiro nodded in agreement. _Sorajiro, Adalbert..._

* * *

_With your granddaughter being so persuasive..._ thought Sorajiro.

* * *

_...how can you say 'no'?_ thought Adalbert.

* * *

"Private Onigawara will commence this defense operation!" Mao said dramatically to no one in particular. "With my two best friends, Misora-Chan and Sylvie-Chan, I, myself, will defend fiercely for everyone!" Misora and Sylvie nodded in agreement.  
"_Private Onigawara, the defense operation has been canceled. Please return to Defense Force headquarters immediately_," came Miss Kagome's voice from Mao's clover.  
"Why is that, Miss Kagome, I ask?" asked Misora. "Because the Cute Alien capsule's orbit was off, and it left orbit of Earth, shooting back off into space."  
"It left Earth?" Mao thought out loud.  
"It passed us by, I ask?" Misora asked. While they said this, Sylvie took out her contacts and replaced them with her glasses.  
"Well, that means only one thing: Defense mission succeeded," she said matter-of-factly.  
It took a moment for this information to sink in, but when it did...  
"We did it! We managed to defend, I say!"  
"Hooray for us! Hooray for us!" And the three began a chorus of giggles.

* * *

Chinami and Yuriko stood before the TV, still dumbfounded that the giant capsule was offcourse. "Wow," said Yuriko, simply too stunned to think of anything. "Fortunately, that capsule had retro-rockets," said Chinami, slightly miffed. "All capsules over 10 meters wide have them. It'll be back at headquarters in no time."  
"But won't they send that Cute Alien again, Chinami-Chan?" asked Yuriko. Chinami turned toward Yuriko, saying, "Of course not, Miss President. Wouldn't that be a tad predictable? No, they'll send a different Alien next time... I can assure you of that..."  
  
_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_  
  
( **Note:** Coming next Tuesday on FanFiction.Net, an Evil-By-Nature fanfic: _The Story of Kusanagi-Sama: War of the Gods_. It is a micro-series set during my _MaoChan_ novelization. Now, the only reason I'm writing it at all is to introduce heroes (and villians) in _MaoChan: Volume_ 2, a continuation of the _MaoChan_ story, set after my novelization. Be on the lookout!) 


	8. The Unified Defense Force Formed

* * *

(**Note:** This chapter is rated 'PG' for a brief scene of fantasy violence.)  
  
**_ Ground Defense Force  
Mao-Chan_**

* * *

**Chapter 8:  
The Unified Defense Force Formed**  
  
June, Day X.  
The three Chiefs of Staff met endlessly over the past 24 hours, discussing the reasons behind their granddaughters' actions in their last defense missions. Although the Cute Alien never landed on Earth, it was still a matter of discussion on Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's yearning to defend together.  
"Why?" asked Rikushiro. "I told Mao to defend by herself, to make no contact with the granddaughters of Sorajiro and Adalbert, and yet, she was going to defend with them as if all three were in the Ground Defense Forces. Why was she so willing to defend with them, when I explicitly told her not to?"  
"It izh obvious. Zhe three of zhem are friends," said Adalbert, inhaling deeply with his cigarette. "Zylvie hazh alvays told me about zhe _gut_ times she had vith your granddaughters." He gestured to Rikushiro and Sorajiro.  
"So has my little Misora, much against my wishes," agreed Sorajiro. "She would go on about how much fun she had with Rikushiro's granddaughter at school or while they were defending---"  
"You know, I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about me as if I wasn't here!" said Rikushiro, standing up. "Besides, our granddaughters will never be operating in the same Defense Forces. My Mao works in the Ground Defense Forces," he pointed at Sorajiro, "Sorajiro, your granddaughter works in the Sky Defense Forces," and Rikushiro finally pointed at Adalbert, "and Adalbert, your granddaughter works in the Sea Defense Forces. They will not operate in the same Defense Forces...  
"Ever."  
Suddenly, Sorajiro remembered something. It was back when he was trying to keep Mao and Misora from working together, shortly after Misora joined the Sky Defense Forces...

* * *

_"But, wouldn't be better," Misora persisted, "If we worked together to stop the Cute Aliens, I ask? Like a Unified Defense Force, I say."_

* * *

"A Unified Defense Force..." muttered Sorajiro. Rikushiro and Adalbert, who were leaving the room, heard him. "What did you say?" asked Rikushiro.  
"Something Misora said to me when we tried to keep them from working together," answered Sorajiro, "Do you remember that, Rikushiro?"  
"How could I forget, Sorajiro?" replied Rikushiro. Sorajiro continued, "Well, Misora asked me why she and Mao-Chan couldn't defend together, as a sort of Unified Defense Forces. Of course, I scoffed at this and told that she would defend solo from then on..."  
"_Und_ zhe rest is _hee_-story," finished Adalbert.  
And the three Chiefs of Staff of the three factions of the Defense Forces, who were initially divided by greed and ambition, realized that their goals were one and the same: the defense of the nation from the threats of outer space. And they realized that it was _teamwork_ that enabled Mao and her friends to succeed in their defense missions. Mao's incomparable defense of the ground, Misora's impeccable defense of the airspace of Japan, and Sylvie's prowess in the sea (when inside Nahchan, of course) would all be necessary in order to defend the nation to its fullest.

* * *

Kagome sat in the living room of her apartment, eating out of a bag of potato chips. Rikushiro had called her barely an hour ago, telling her to watch the TV for a 'special announcement'.  
_Wonder what it could be?_ wondered Kagome. It couldn't be another Defense Force member; as far as Kagome knew, Rikushiro had only one granddaughter: Mao. After a few more minutes, the news station came on. Kagome gasped softly at the sight.  
Mao, Misora, and Sylvie (wearing her half-moon glasses) were standing in a row, respectively wearing a green, a blue, and a jet-black business suit, a skirt of the same color around their waist. An announcer spoke over a microphone.  
"A cute defense bill has been signed and passed (in a cute manner, of course), as the Ground Defense Force, the Sky Defense Force, and the Sea Defense Force have united, to form the Unified Defense Forces. This action is necessary to counter the increasing threats of the Cute Alien invaders."  
Mao, Misora, and Sylvie saluted simultaneously.  
"The peace of Japan will be..." Mao began.  
"Will be protected by..." Misora continued.  
"By the three of us, so you can feel safe," finished Sylvie. After the crowd watching this stopped chuckling, the picture-taking began.

* * *

Chinami growled slightly as she and Yuriko watched the events happening, live. "This is not good at all, Miss President. Now the Defense Forces are one, and our operations will be much more difficult," Chinami said, turning to Yuriko. "Um, yeah," replied Yuriko. _Good for you, Mao- Chan, Misora-Chan, and Sylvie-Chan_, thought Yuriko. The news report continued...

* * *

_Is that what Chief of Staff wanted me to see?_ thought a bemused Kagome. _Whatever. The three Defense Forces become one. So what? It doesn't really affect me at all._  
_RING! RING!_ went Kagome's phone. She picked it up, and spoke into it, "Hello, the Mishima residence. Kagome Mishima speaking."  
"Miss Kagome, it's me," replied the voice on the other end. Kagome's heart skipped a beat.  
"Chi-Chief of Staff! What is it that you want?!" said Kagome ecstatically. She was thankful that this was a phone call and not an across- the-room conversation; Kagome was blushing furiously at the fact that Rikushiro had something to tell her.  
"Miss Kagome, I assume you just saw the news," said Rikushiro. "If so, you may be wondering who was chosen for the Commander." Kagome replied, "Y-yes I have, Chief of Staff." Rikushiro seemed that he was trying to stifle a laugh. "Well, that's because...  
"You're the Commander, Miss Kagome."  
Kagome's heart skipped another beat, then began to race. "B-b-but, Chief of Staff, why'd they pick _me?!_ Why not Commander Tamino over in the Sky Defense Forces? Or Commander Matsuda of the Sea Defense Forces?"  
"I personally picked you, Miss Kagome," Kagome's blush expanded slightly, "so that I felt you were the closest with Mao and her friends. I'm counting on you, Miss Kagome, to help make Mao stand out among the other girls!"  
Though Rikushiro was not in the room, Kagome saluted, and shouted, "Yessir, roger, sir!" Kagome continued to talk into the phone even though Rikushiro had already hung up. "I will do my best to please you, Chief of Staff! I'd do anything for you, who I hold so close to my heart!" Kagome realized that Rikushiro had already hung up, and she was just talking to a dial tone. She cursed herself for being so stupid and hung up. As soon as she did, her heart picked up the pace and her face paled.  
_ Now I have to look after them in both in school and in the Defense Forces? I don't know if I can take this kind of stress! High school and college were bad enough! And plus, I won't get to see the Chief of Staff anymore!... But, he chose me for this job, so I'll do it... For the Chief of Staff!_

* * *

"Defense Barrier practice, begin!" said Kagome, blowing on the whistle in her hand. Instantly, Mao, Misora, and Sylvie went to their positions in the Defense Barrier, surrounding a scarecrow-ish thing in the middle of the room. A ball of light appeared on the end of Sylvie's baton as she shouted, "Okay, here it comes! Barrier Beam, engage!" Sylvie fired a broad beam of bright-white light at Misora, who caught the light beam on the end of her baton.  
"Reflection Barrier, engage, I say!" said Misora as she reflected the beam at Mao. Mao, however, was too scared of the beam to do anything but quiver in fear. The beam of light struck Mao dead-center. Mao stood there, hovering slightly, illuminated by the light. When the light faded, Mao fell to the floor, not moving.  
"Mao-Chan," shouted Misora and Sylvie together as they ran up to a still Mao. "Are you alright, I ask?" asked Misora, as she turned Mao over. Misora gasped, then screamed. Kagome ran up, having recieved a medical degree in college, ready to help Mao in any way necessary. When she saw Mao, Kagome gasped as well.  
Mao's skin had lost almost all color, looking almost completely white. Her eyes were glazed and unfocused, her mouth hanging limply open. Kagome felt her skin. Cold as ice. Kagome felt Mao's wrist. No pulse.  
"Is she...?" asked Sylvie, as Kagome closed Mao's eyes.  
"Yes," replied Kagome, tears welling up in her eyes, " I hate to tell you, but she's dead."  
Misora and Sylvie both stared wide-eyed at Kagome, clearly not believing this. Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome noticed movement and looked over. Kagome, along with Misora and Sylvie, gasped.  
Mao was standing up, her eyes still closed, getting to her feet. Somehow, she was doing so without using her hands, which stayed at her sides. When she was fully erect, she opened her eyes, which were different than before; they were green, with a slitted, catlike pupil.  
"Oh, Mao-Chan," said Misora, unaware of Mao's suddenly sinister appearance. Misora ran up to Mao. "We thought you were dead, I say! Thank goodness you're alright, I say!" Misora hugged Mao tightly. Kagome noticed that Mao's eyes closed slightly in anger. Unbeknownst to Misora, Mao was reaching up for Misora's arm.  
"No! Get away, Misora-Chan!" screamed Kagome, running up to Misora. Misora looked at Kagome confused for a moment. At the same instant, however, Mao reached up, grabbed Misora's arm, and flung her with incredible ease at Sylvie, who had no time to react. Misora and Sylvie continued to travel through the air, shooting straight through the wall. A few seconds later, a tremendous explosion shot into the room. There was no way Misora or Sylvie could still be alive...  
"You killed me, Miss Kagome," came a voice behind Kagome. It was low, dangerous, and evil. Yet, it sounded almost like Mao. Kagome turned back to Mao, but Mao wasn't there anymore. She was replaced by a purple lizard-like creature with green, slitted eyes. It had long, sharp claws on the ends of its fingers and toes. Its long, pointed tail swished dangerously.  
"M-Mao-Chan?" asked Kagome. "No, not anymore," said the thing that was Mao. "I am the Barrier Demon, so named because I am a demon born of a failed Defense Barrier. I am born of the darkness within Mao's heart. Her death released me, and now..." Its tail shot out, wrapping several times around Kagome, and bringing her in. The Barrier Demon was as cold as Mao was. Barrier Demon placed a foot over Kagome's chest, pushing down hard, removing its tail and grabbing her around the neck with a clawed hand.  
"I will give you a choice, Mishima," it said, "Join me and aid me in my quest for world domination, or defy me and die." Kagome didn't like those choices at all. "Sorry, outta time."  
The Barrier Demon pulled on Kagome's neck with its foot still hard on her chest...

* * *

"AAAAHHH!!" Kagome sat up, screaming loudly. She looked around at the dark room, and realized she was still in her bedroom._ So, it was just a nightmare_, thought Kagome, _What a relief..._  
_BEE-BEE-BEEP! BEE-BEE-BEEP!_ went Kagome's alarm clock. She looked over: 7:00. Kagome reached over and turned it off. She went over to her window, and drew back the shades. Instantly, the Barrier Demon leapt in on her, shattering the window, claws gleaming in the sunlight. Several shards of glass fell toward Kagome, one particularly large one falling towards her heart...

* * *

"HOLY COW!" shouted Kagome as she sat up in bed. Kagome sat up so quickly that her alarm clock fell over, the batteries falling out. _That was a nightmare, too?_ wondered Kagome, clearly befuddled. Kagome walked up to the window, drew back the curtains, and leapt back very quickly. Fortunately, the Barrier Demon didn't exist, and Kagome ended up with a stubbed toe. After hopping around on one foot for a moment, Kagome got changed, and left for Unified Defense Force headquarters.

* * *

Mao, Misora, and Sylvie were in their Type 2 Gear, descending with Kagome to the Gymnasium. There, they would practice the Defense Barrier.  
"Are you excited, Misora-Chan, Sylvie-Chan?" asked Mao, a smile wide on her face.  
"I certainly am, I say! We will be able to defend together from now on, I say!" replied Misora.  
"So am I, the officer!" Sylvie responded. She then looked up at Kagome. "What's wrong, Miss Mishima?"  
"Nothing's wrong, Seaman Sylvia," said Kagome, though there were several things bothering her. "And it's _Commander_ Mishima!"  
"Oh yeah. Sorry," said Sylvie, as the elevator doors opened.  
"Myuh!" came a high voice from inside the Gymnasium. Suddenly, something green and yellow jumped on Kagome. Kagome struggled for a moment, then lifted the thing off.  
"Oh, hi, Cosmic Tama-Chan! I forgot you lived in here!" said Kagome, forgetting about her nightmare-within-a-nightmare temporarily.  
Mao, Misora, and Sylvie looked at Cosmic Tamago. She was a green-and-yellow Turtle Alien, about half as long as they were tall. She was slightly larger than she was in the slideshow Mao and Misora saw before they met Sylvie, but not much larger.  
Cosmic Tamago looked at Mao, Misora, and Sylvie, and tilted her head, "Myuh?"  
"'Who are we'?" asked Sylvie. "This is Mao Onigawara and Misora Tsukishima, my, the officer's, two bestest friends in the world. And I, the officer, am Sylvia Maruyama. You can just call me Sylvie."  
"Myuh?"  
"Of course we can wear these clovers. Can't everyone?"  
Mao, Misora, and Kagome fell on their faces. "You can understand her?!" yelled Kagome. "Of course I can!" protested Sylvie. "Who can't?" They fell on their faces again. Cosmic Tamago flew off towards a small cubby-hole in the corner of the room, to continue its nap.  
"Anyway, let's practice the Defense Barrier, girls!" said Kagome. At once, Mao, Misora, and Sylvie saluted and shouted as one, "Roger!"  
"Defense Barrier practice, begin!" said Kagome, blowing on the whistle in her hand. Instantly, Mao, Misora, and Sylvie went to their positions in the Defense Barrier, surrounding a scarecrow-ish thing in the middle of the room. A ball of light appeared on the end of Sylvie's baton as she shouted, "Okay, here it comes! Barrier Beam, engage!" Sylvie fired a broad beam of bright-white light at Misora, who caught the light beam on the end of her baton.  
"Reflection Barrier, engage, I say!" said Misora as she reflected the beam at Mao. However, Mao ducked to avoid the space beam, shouting, "Waah! I'm scared!"  
The room was filled with light. When it cleared, everything was covered in soot. Mao, Misora, and Sylvie were in the center of the room, saying:  
"I, myself, am sorry!"  
"Don't worry about it, Mao-Chan, I say!"  
"I, the officer, broke my glasses!"

* * *

And the next two days continued in this way. All through this, Kagome had to endure photo shoots, dinners, lunches, classes, Defense Barrier failures, all of which had Mao, Misora, and Sylvie involved in some way. Kagome felt she had to deal with them far too much the past couple days, and decided to play hooky the following day.  
Kagome slept in that day, as she had gotten very little sleep the past two days, what with all the photo shoots. By the time she woke up, it was 11:00 in the morning. She felt fresh as a daisy. Kagome got up, and decided to make lunch.  
After lunch, Kagome relaxed, enjoying her one day off. Even though she wasn't supposed to be off today, she needed this day off or she would have snapped under the pressure.  
After a short nap, Kagome looked at the clock. 3:00. _Mao-Chan and her friends should be getting out of school right now_, thought Kagome. _I hope I didn't worry them too much by missing this one day._  
Kagome put a bowl of ramen noodles in the microwave to eat for dinner. While she waited, she pondered the justification of skipping this one day of work. She justified it by reminding herself that she was being overworked previously, and needed a day off to sit back, relax, and catch her breath.  
She heard the microwave go _BING!_ and said, "Ah, the moment of bliss," and got up to get her ramen. At the same time, though...  
_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_  
_Who could that be?_ thought Kagome, though her thoughts were soon answered.  
"Miss Kagome!"  
"We have come on a get-well visit, I say!"  
Kagome felt like her heart stopped. She was found out! If they found out that Kagome was just playing hooky...  
_The Chief of Staff will lose his trust in me!_ she thought terrifiedly. Kagome ran off towards her bed, her ramen forgotten. She literally jumped in her bed, throwing the blanket over her. She didn't want them to see her with a normal complexion.  
_CRASH!  
_ _What are they doing?!_ thought Kagome as she saw her front door slide into the room. She sweatdropped at the sight. She heard voices; Mao, Misora, and Sylvie were talking amongst themselves.  
"Are you sure that was alright, I ask?"  
"Of course I, the officer, am sure. You know what they say: 'Drastic times call for drastic measures'."  
"Alright. Well, I, myself, am coming in..."  
Kagome quickly hid under her sheets, trying to pretend to be sick when she heard footsteps walk into the room.  
"Miss Kagome, are you all right, I ask?"  
Kagome decided to speak, but with a slight rasp and a fake cough or two to sound sick. "Cough...cough... I just have a little cold. A little rest will fix me right up. Cough-cough."  
"That's good to hear," came Mao's voice. She sounded quite relieved.  
"See, Mao-Chan? You worry far too much. Miss Kagome was A-OK," said Sylvie.  
"But I, myself, have every right to worry for Miss Kagome. She's our teacher and commanding officer at the Defense Forces, after all," persisted Mao. Misora said, "Mao-Chan is completely right, I say!" Kagome heard Mao giggle slightly, and the sound of footsteps.  
"Where are you going, Sylvie-Chan, I ask?"  
"I, the officer, smell something good. Don't you?"  
_Oh no, she smells my ramen noodles_, thought a distressed Kagome. She heard Sylvie scampering off. From the sound of her shoes hitting the floor, Kagome assumed Sylvie was in her Type 2 Marine Gear. But why? Then it occured to Kagome that it seemed unlikely that an eight-year-old girl could knock a door off its hinges, let alone send it halfway across the room.  
"Hello, Mr. Ramen," came Sylvie's voice from the kitchen. "You smell delicious and you look delicious, so you must _taste_ delicious!" A few seconds later, Kagome heard a slurping sound, and Sylvie spoke through a mouthful of food, "It _is_ delicious!"  
_My dinner's being eaten_, thought Kagome. She was going to have to go hungry. At this realization, Kagome started shivering.  
"Miss Kagome looks like she is shivering, I say!" came Misora's anxious voice.  
"Don't worry, Miss Kagome! Help is on the way!" said Mao, though Kagome didn't know how Mao could help. "When I, myself, found out you were sick, I told Grandpa and he said he'd be here right away!"  
Kagome's heart leapt, and so did Kagome. She stood on top of her bed, covered in her sheets, and said, "The Chief of Staff is coming?! Really? What should I do? I'm a mess!" To Kagome's confusion, Mao and Misora were heard to be whimpering. Kagome heard Sylvie come in, saying, "What the heck is going on here?"  
Sylvie looked up at Kagome, and said to her, "Miss Kagome, did you get so sick that you croaked?"  
"Don't worry, Miss Kagome," said Mao, "Grandpa knows CPR!"  
Suddenly, it clicked to Kagome. She must've looked like a ghost to them, since she was covered in her bedsheets. Kagome laid back down, and coughed twice to convince them that she was still sick, and still alive.  
_BEEP! BEEP!_  
"_Private Onigawara! 2nd Lieutenant Tsukishima! Seaman Recruit Maruyama! A Cute Alien capsule, 10 meters across, is going to land in Yokohama in just a half an hour! Please report to the scene immediately!_" came a female voice from Mao's clover. A green glow filtered through Kagome's blanket, telling her that it was Mao's clover through which the order was being given.  
"But Miss Kagome is sick and..." said Mao, but the voice from the clover interrupted.  
"_It's an order from the Chief of Staff!_" and the signal was cut.  
"Okay, roger. Well, we have to defend again," said Mao miserably.  
"Type 2 Ground Gear..."  
"Type 2 Flight Gear..."  
"Download... Riku-bo!/Ku-bo!"  
"Mao Onigawara of the Ground Defense Force!"  
"Misora Tsukishima of the Sky Defense Force!"  
"The peace of Japan will be..."  
"Protected by the three of us!"  
"Well, Miss Kagome, we hope you get better soon, so that you can defend with us again," said Mao. "I'll leave the get-well bread on the table. It's a leftover from lunch, though." Kagome heard something being set down on the table.  
"And I brought you some custard to go with the bread, I say," said Misora, and the custard was heard being placed on the table.  
"And I, the officer, brought you my milk," said Sylvie. This was heard being put on the table as well. Kagome heard the sound of her ramen bowl being placed on the table too.  
"Well, we'll go defend now," said Mao, and the sound of the three filing out was heard. Once she was sure they were gone, Kagome got up and looked at the table. Each food item that they mentioned was on the table. Kagome was disappointed to see that her ramen bowl was empty. _At least they care enough to get me food from lunch_, she thought resignedly, and she ate what food they gave her.  
She was just finishing the milk when Rikushiro came in. "Miss Kagome, sorry if I'm late! How are you feeling?"  
Kagome sputtered slightly on the milk she was drinking, and said, "Y- yes, Chief of Staff, I'm fine."  
Rikushiro stared suspiciously at Kagome for a moment; had he figured out that she was playing hooky? "That's good, because it's the Unified Defense Forces' first official defense mission. Since my car is parked outside, would you like a ride to the Unified Defense Force headquarters?"  
"Yessir!" said Kagome, suddenly in her military gear.

* * *

The Defense Force Control Room was now in its Unified configuration. The walls separating the Ground, Sky, and Sea Defense Forces' control rooms were removed, making a perfectly circular room.  
"Unified Defense Force members, rush for the scene as quickly as possible!" said Kagome into the intercom connected to Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's clovers.  
"_Miss Kagome!_" came Mao's surprised voice.  
"_Ma'am, are you over your cold, I ask?_" asked Misora.  
"I'm as good as new!" said Kagome brightly. "Now, let's defend together, okay?"  
"Roger!" came Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's replies.  
"As much as I don't like working with the Sky and Sea Defense Forces," said Rikushiro, "Let the first Unified Defense Forces' defense operation begin!"  
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't call the shots, Rikushiro," snapped Sorajiro.  
"You are acting far too conspicuous," said Adalbert, equally annoyed.  
"Chiefs of Staff!" said Kagome, getting everyone's attention. "The Cute Alien capsule has landed in the ocean!"  
  
**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	9. Operation: Japan Collection

**_Ground Defense Force  
Mao-Chan_**

* * *

**Chapter 9:  
Operation: Japan Collection**  
  
"It's _what?!_" shouted Rikushiro.  
"I'm afraid it has, sir," said Kagome, looking at the monitor in front of her, reading off the data that was displayed on the screen. "The capsule, which is a jumbo-type of about 18 meters long, has splashlanded just off the coast of the Kanagawa Prefecture in Yokohama, very near Seaman Maruyama's support mecha."  
"Hmm-hmm-hmm," chuckled Adalbert, using his cigarette to light a new one. "Zhis is zhe perfect chance for Zylvie..." He took a long drag on his newly-lit cigarette, and breathed out a large cloud of smoke. "...to protect zhe country wizzout zhe aid of her friends."  
"Traitor!" growled Sorajiro, squeezing Okita-San tightly.  
"That sounds like a plan, Chief of Staff Maruyama," said Kagome, pointing to one of the large videoscreens around the room. "But your granddaughter is currently landbound with Private Onigawara and Second Lieutenant Tsukishima, waiting for the Cute Alien to reveal itself. So the three will defend the country together, whether you like it or not."  
"Vell, I don't like it in zhe slightest," said Adalbert, dousing his cigarette in a nearby ashtray. "But eef it makes Zylvie 'appy, I vill have to allow it."  
"Good, because we'll need cooperation for the success of this operation," said Kagome, shifting her gaze to one of the operatives, Mayumi. She wore her raven-black hair in a long ponytail down to her waist. She wore the dark-blue uniform of Sky Defense Force members, and was freakishly tall for a Japanese person, almost 5' 9".  
"Operative Mayumi, has the populace of the Kanagawa Prefecture been successfully evacuated?" asked Kagome, to which Mayumi immediately responded, "Yes, Commander Mishima. All residences in the Kanagawa Prefecture were successfully evacuated."  
"Good," Kagome turned to a monitor next to her and pressed a few buttons. She gasped at the image on the screen.

* * *

_It's finally begun... Operation: Japan Collection_, thought Yuriko as she and Chinami watched the television before them.  
Chinami clenched her fists as she watched what was happening on the screen. The Cute Aliens were no longer playing games with the Defense Forces. Playtime was over. Chinami knew that all invading aliens in the future meant business. Chinami almost felt sorry for Mao and her friends, knowing what they would face, but pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind. She mustn't let her emotions get in the way of her job.

* * *

Mao, Misora, and Sylvie (wearing contacts) stood at the coast of the Kanagawa Prefecture, staring at the spot where the Cute Alien landed.  
"What's wrong, Mao-Chan, I ask?" asked Misora, looking over at Mao, who just started shivering.  
"I dunno, Misora-Chan," replied Mao. "I just felt like someone was watching us."  
"Of course people are watching us, Mao-Chan," said Sylvie, pointing at the various helicopters from the various newstations that were filming them.  
"It's not that, Sylvie-Chan," insisted Mao. "It's something... not here." Mao used the only words she could use to describe it. "Doesn't matter, right, guys? I, myself, will do my best!"  
  
"I certainly will as well, I say!"  
"I, the officer, am here, too!"  
_Yes, I will do my best_, Mao thought. _Mommy would probably be proud of me_. Mao thought of her mother, Kuniko. From what she'd heard, Kuniko was very pretty. According to her father, Kuniko just showed up out of nowhere, and it was love at first sight. Just barely a year after they first met and got married, Mao was born. A few months later, however, Kuniko disappeared. She disappeared so thoroughly, it was as if she just ceased to exist. _I wish I had a Mommy_, Mao thought as she wiped away a tear.  
_BEEP! BEEP!_  
"_Unified Defense Force members!_" came Kagome's voice from Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's clovers. "_The Cute Alien is beginning to emerge! When it does, commence defense operation while maintaining visual contact with the target!_"  
Kagome didn't need to tell them that, as at that point, a large whirlpool appeared where the capsule landed. The whirlpool expanded by the second. "Get outta there, Nahchan! Get out! Get out!" Sylvie shouted at the submarine in the bay. Nahchan immediately turned away from the whirlpool and swam away from it. The whirlpool continued to grow, then suddenly swirled upwards, forming a waterspout.  
"It's coming, Misora-Chan!" whimpered Mao.  
"It certainly is, I say!" replied Misora.  
"The Buggers are coming!" shouted Sylvie right out of the blue, causing Mao and Misora to sweatdrop. They heard a loud POP and turned to look at the waterspout. On top of it was the gargantuan capsule that contained the Cute Alien. And it was open, revealing the Cute Alien. It leapt out of the capsule, landing in front of the Unified Defense Force members with a loud THUMP.  
"It's huge, but it's cute!"  
It was a Sheep Alien, almost 30 feet tall.  
_BEEP! BEEP!_  
"_Elementary school Defense Force members! Commence defense operation!_" said Miss Kagome's voice from their clovers.  
"Roger!" Mao, Misora, and Sylvie shouted in unison, then they raised their batons before them. They concentrated hard on the word of 'defense' and a ball of light appeared on their batons. They focused the light to hit the Cute Alien, and three beams of bright-white light lanced out at the Cute Alien. The beams struck it, then rebounded off into the sky. The Sheep Alien rubbed the spot where the beams struck it, as if it had an itch ther. With a "Baa!" it turned toward Mao, Misora, and Sylvie, stomping towards them.  
"Aah! It's cute, but it's scary!" screamed Mao, running off to hide.  
"My whole body is shaking, I say!" shrieked Misora, following Mao.  
"The Bugger has landed!" said Sylvie, hitting the Alien's feet with her baton. This only infuriated the Alien even further, and it started trying to step on Sylvie as she hit its feet. Sylvie grabbed onto its leg, holding on for dear life. The Alien began shaking its leg violently, screaming "Baa!" Eventually, Sylvie was thrown off, flying through the air. After tumbling through the air for a few moments, she landed on the Sheep Alien's head.  
"Oof!" shouted Sylvie as she landed on its head. Once she got her bearings, Sylvie began whacking the Alien on the head with her baton. After a few moments, the Alien spun its head around, taking Sylvie's baton in its teeth. It swung its head around, throwing Sylvie's baton away. Her baton flew just past Miikun, who was parked nearby. Sylvie leapt off the Cute Alien, landing just in front of Miikun. She ran past Miikun and got her baton, and turned to face the Cute Alien again.  
Mao and Misora were huddled behind Miikun, hiding from the Cute Alien, whimpering away. "I, the officer, am gonna join you two," said Sylvie as she crouched down next to Mao and Misora. All three were absolutely helpless; their blasts of Light did no damage to the Sheep Alien, it was the size of a house, and it was mad at them. And they sat there, whimpering fearfully, hoping the Alien wouldn't find them.

* * *

"Commander Mishima, the elementary school Defense Force members are frightened of the Cute Alien," said Mayumi, watching Mao, Misora, and Sylvie on the monitor.  
"But what of the Cute Alien, Operative Mayumi?" asked Kagome, turning to Mayumi.  
"The target is beginning to move towards Yokohama, and we have made an estimate of where it will arrive if it continues in that direction," said Mayumi, pressing a few buttons. An image appeared on one of the videoscreen. It was a map of Yokohama, with an image of the Sheep Alien in the Kanagawa Prefecture. In front of the Sheep Alien's image was a highlighted area, leading into the city.  
"Where is it heading towards, Mayumi?" asked Kagome.  
"It is heading for the bullet train station at New Yokohama Station," replied Mayumi as the image focused on said station.  
"New Yokohama Station?" asked Sorajiro, bewildered.  
"Vhy vould it go zhere?" Adalbert thought out loud.  
"We don't have time for Twenty Questions, you two," said Rikushiro, clenching his fist. "We still have a job to do, and that's to defend the country!" He struck a dramatic pose. "Now's the time to defend!"  
"What're you doing, posing for a painting?" asked Sorajiro when he saw Rikushiro posing overly melodramatically.  
"Chief of Staff Onigawara is right!" said Kagome, talking over Rikushiro and Sorajiro who were currently arguing over who was being more of a jerk.  
"Elementary school Defense Force members! Stop the Cute Alien before it gets to the New Yokohama Station! Hurry!" said Kagome into a small microphone next to her.  
"Help me, Mommy!" came Mao's teary reply.  
"Help us, Mother, I say!" Misora stuttered through tears.  
"Help me, Mummy..." whimpered Sylvie.  
And the rest was lost in tears.  
"Girls... what about defense?" asked Kagome, though she wasn't speaking into the microphone to Mao, Misora, or Sylvie anymore.

* * *

Miikun sat there, looking at Mao, Misora, and Sylvie. It wanted to help Mao, but it did not want to leave her behind and leave her unprotected. Miikun rotated its turret to look at the Sheep Alien as it stomped towards Yokohama. _I have failed Mao-Chan and her friends_, thought Miikun, who was programmed with basic emotions, such as joy, anger, sadness, etc.  
_No, you have not failed her_, said a female voice in Miikun's CPU. It was a very beautiful voice, sounding almost... godly, yet gentle.  
_What do you mean?_ thought Miikun, trying to communicate with this mysterious voice.  
_I mean that you only truly fail if you don't try_, said the voice. There was a somewhat comforting quality to the voice, but Miikun continued to play the devil's advocate.  
_What do you want me to do, whoever you are?_ asked Miikun, beginning to grow anxious.  
_I want you to pursue the Cute Alien, Miikun_, said the voice.  
_Wha--? How do you know the name Mao-Chan gave me?_ asked a bamboozled Miikun. _And I am not leaving this spot! I need to protect Mao-Chan and her friends!_  
_You and Hayate can protect them by intercepting the Cute Alien. Besides, Nahchan can protect them while you two are gone_, said the voice. _Now, go and defend the Yokohama bullet train from the Cute Alien._  
And the voice vanished without a trace, leaving Miikun to just its thoughts. After thinking for several seconds, it heard a familiar voice in its head.  
_Miikun, did you just hear a voice, I ask?_ asked Hayate.  
_Yes, I did_, responded Miikun.  
_Did the voice tell you to defend Mao-Chan/Misora-Chan and her friends by pursuing the Cute Alien/Cute Alien, I ask?_ Miikun asked Hayate and Hayate asked Miikun. They were both stunned by the response they got.  
_Well, the voice told me to stay behind and look after Sylvie-Chan and her friends_, said Nahchan, right out of the blue. _Are you two gonna leave me to look after these three kids?_  
_Yes, we are, Nahchan_, said Miikun.  
_Honestly, Nahchan, you spend too much time with Sylvie-Chan, I say_, said Hayate.  
_Hayate, the time you spend with Misora-Chan is rubbing off on your speech patterns_, taunted Miikun, and the three AIs laughed to themselves.  
_Anyway, we will stop the Cute Alien..._ Miikun began.  
_To help our human friends, I say!_ Hayate finished.

* * *

Mao heard the sound of a tank driving off, and looked up. Miikun was driving off, though Mao couldn't see where it was driving to. "Miikun, where are you driving off to?" asked Mao, though she may as well have asked a rock the same thing; Mao just realized that Miikun couldn't talk.  
"Hayate, where are you going, I ask?" asked Misora next to Mao. Mao looked up, and saw Misora's support mecha flying after Miikun.  
"Funny, Nahchan's staying right where he's s'posed to be," said Sylvie, looking out towards Nahchan, who was floating innocently in the bay.  
Mao stood up.  
"Mao-Chan, where are you going, I ask?" asked Misora, standing up as well.  
"I, myself, am going after Miikun," replied Mao, her brow lowered determinedly.  
"But, Mao-Chan, are you sure this is alright, I ask? What if they go to a bad place, I ask?" said Misora, who was also worried about the support mechas, but was being more practical.  
"Hey, Nahchan's waving to us, the officers!" shouted Sylvie, who started waving both arms at Nahchan. "Hey, Nahchan!"  
"Well, we'll defend them if they're in a bad place, Misora-Chan," said Mao, tightening her grip on her baton.  
"Mao-Chan..." said Misora, but she had run out of reasons not to go after Miikun and Hayate. "Right, Let us go help Miikun and Hayate, I say!"  
"Come on, Sylvie-Chan!" squealed Mao as she grabbed Sylvie by the arm, pulling her away from Nahchan. "Seeya later, Nahchan!" shouted Sylvie as they ran after Miikun and Hayate.  
Nahchan snapped its fingers, _Darn! I, the officer, wanted them to come over here! They might hurt themselves if they get too near the Cute Alien! I hope Sylvie-Chan doesn't get harmed..._

* * *

"Commander Mishima, the target has arrived at the New Yokohama Station," said Mayumi with a slightly ominous tone in her voice. "The Sheep Alien looks like its heading for the bullet train parked in the station."  
Suddenly, a thought struck Kagome. She realized what the Cute Aliens were trying to achieve by landing on Earth, though why they were doing it, Kagome did not know.  
"Could the Cute Aliens be after the Japanese landmarks?" muttered Kagome.  
"What did you say, Miss Kagome?" asked Rikushiro.  
"I think I may have figured out what the Cute Aliens are after," responded Kagome.  
"What is it they may be after, Miss Kagome?" questioned Rikushiro.  
"The Japanese landmarks," replied Kagome. Rikushiro said, "What gives you that idea?"  
"Think about it, Chief of Staff. The first few Cute Aliens landed in Ariake, Tokyo, very near some popular places. The Dolphin Alien that landed just days after Seaman Sylvia joined the Sea Defense Force landed near the Hinata Apartments. It makes more sense than many of the theories concocted by the second-grade class I teach."  
"Commander Mishima!" shouted Mayumi. Kagome replied, "What is it, Operative Mayumi?" "Miikun and Hayate are gonna full-on attack the Cute Alien!"  
"But that's insane!" screamed Kagome, eyes the size of dinnerplates. "Neither of them are equipped with any weapons!"  
"Amazing!" shouted Rikushiro, his voice filled with awe. "What superb defense spirit!"  
"Hmm-hmm-hmm," chuckled Adalbert, "How can it have defense spirit? It is only a masheen."

* * *

"Miikun!"  
  
"Hayate!"  
"Don't!" Mao shouted when she saw Miikun driving straight for the Sheep Alien. The Sheep Alien lowered its brow, raised its foot, and slammed its foot down on top of Miikun.  
_CRASH!_  
Miikun was caught under the Sheep Alien's foot. Miikun drove back and forth, but the Sheep Alien merely applied more pressure. Mao, even though she was a considerable distance away, heard the sound of buckling metal.  
_Miikun's getting hurt! I won't let the Cute Alien hurt Miikun!_ Mao thought, and she ran, slowly as usual, towards Miikun and the Alien.  
"Mao-Chan, don't! It's dangerous, I say!" said Misora.  
"Mao-Chan, come back!" said Sylvie.  
"But I, myself, won't let Miikun get hurt!" Mao screamed as she ran toward the scene. "I can't! I, myself, can't bear to lose you, Miikun! I'll stop at nothing to defend you!"  
At once, Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's clovers began to glow in their respective colors, startling all three of them.

* * *

"Chinami-Chan, look! It's the Light of Kusanagi-Sama again!" Yuriko practically shouted.  
Chinami, eyes wide, said, "I know, I see it, Miss President! But what does it mean?"  
"Maybe it means they're the Chosen Ones?" suggested Yuriko. Chinami turned to Yuriko, "Impossible, Miss President! They're full-blooded Earthlings! How many times do I have to tell you?!"

* * *

Mayumi looked at the energy readouts coming from the elementary school Defense Force members in surprise. "Commander Mishima, the energy output from the elementary school Defense Force members' clovers has increased dramatically!"  
"Good timing, too!" said Kagome, a smile wide on her face. "The Prime Minister just gave us permission to use the Defense Barrier!" She picked up the microphone on the table. "Elementary school Defense Force members, the Prime Minister..."

* * *

"_...has just given us permission to use the Defense Barrier against this Cute Alien invader!_" came Miss Kagome's voice over their clovers.  
"Defense Barrier..." Mao began.  
"Deployment authorization..." Sylvie continued.  
"Accepted, I say!" Misora finished, as she flew forward, thanks to the angel wings on the back of her Type 2 Flight Gear.  
"Baa?" said the Sheep Alien, lifting its foot off of Miikun, who quickly drove away.  
Once she got into position, Mao raised her baton. The end of her baton glowed bright-white as she shouted, "Barrier Beam, engage!" The broad beam of pure light shot out of the baton, and Mao flew back a few feet from recoil. The beam shot toward Misora, who caught it on the end of her baton. "Reflection Barrier, engage, I say!" she shouted as she reflected it at Sylvie. Sylvie caught the beam at the end of her baton, shouted, "Restriction Barrier, engage!" and reflected it at Mao.  
When the beam of light struck the end of Mao's baton, it formed a large triangle of light. Mao was ecstatic "Complete!"  
"The Defense Barrier!" the three girls shouted.

* * *

Everyone in the Defense Force Control Room was cheering. Everyone was excited at the first successful Defense Barrier. Everyone was happy for the soon-to-be-successful mission.  
Everyone but Adalbert.  
"Zhe Defense Barrier von't verk," he said, taking a long drag from his cigarette.  
"Why not?" asked a confused Kagome.  
"Because Zylvie izh in zhe wrong position," he said simply.  
"_Ehh?!_"

* * *

And she was! She never moved from the spot that she was at when their clovers glowed. The awkward shape of the resulting Defense Barrier missed the Cute Alien entirely.  
"Oh, bugger," swore Sylvie. "I, the officer, forgot to get into position."  
The Sheep Alien clambored up to the bullet train station, its eyes crinkled in a smile at the sight of the bullet train. It grabbed the bullet train in its front legs, then it disappeared as if a mirage, the bullet train disappearing as well.  
The Defense Barrier glowed brightly, engulfing the entire area in bright-white light.

* * *

Kagome hung her head sadly, "Defense mission failed." Kagome felt the light burning into her eyes from the videoscreens fade, just as Mayumi said, "Visuals have been restored, Commander."  
"_Wow! Alright!_" came Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's voices from the videoscreen. They sounded... happy. _How can they be happy since we failed a defense mission?_ Kagome thought, looking up surprised.  
Mao was in front of Miikun, jumping up and down, shouting gleefully, "I'm so glad you're alright, Miikun!"  
Misora was stroking Hayate, "Thank goodness you are safe, Hayate, I say!"  
"Is that true?" asked Sylvie. "That's good to hear!"  
And the three began giggling like little school girls. Wait a minute, they _are_ little school girls.  
Kagome hung her head again. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Kagome looked behind her; Rikushiro was the one who put his hand on her shoulder. Rikushiro didn't look mad or upset at all; on the other hand, he seemed like he accepted the fact that their defense mission failed. The nod Rikushiro gave Kagome told her she should be, too.

* * *

Chinami and Yuriko were surprised by the turn of events of late. Chinami, unsurprisingly, had an annoyed look on her face; Yuriko had a pleased look on her face.  
"I know the mission was a success, but why am I still annoyed?" Chinami asked herself.  
_Probably because you couldn't get the bullet train, Chinami-Chan_, Yuriko thought to herself. _Mao-Chan, what we did may be completely wrong, but I'm happy for you...  
Yes, I'm happy for you..._  
  
**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	10. A Sports Meet Before Everything Else!

**_Ground Defense Force_**

**_Mao-Chan_**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 10:  
A Sports Meet Before Everything Else!**

The three Defense Force girls rode back to the Defense Force headquarters aboard Miikun, ear-to-ear grins on their faces. Hayate flew after them, and Nahchan went through a hidden underwater passageway.

However, these grins faded when they arrived outside of Defense Force headquarters. Everyone who worked there was standing in front of the gates, grim looks on their faces. In front were Miss Mishima...

"That's _Commander_ Mishima!"

Oops! Sorry. _Commander_ Mishima, Rikushiro, Sorajiro, and Adalbert.

"What is wrong, everyone, I ask?" asked Misora, her head tilted to the side.

Toku-San, who was just behind Rikushiro, stepped forward. "Well, you see, while you were busy cheering for your support mechas, the Cute Alien made off with a bullet train."

"Ehhh!?" screamed Mao, Misora, and Sylvie in unison. "We failed a defense mission?!" And they burst into tears.

"Don't worry, you three. You just made one mistake," said a man as he and his friend stepped forward. He was taller than his friend, had short brown hair, and small glasses. His friend looked almost the same, except for the fact that he was shorter, squater, and had longer hair and larger glasses. Both wore green military outfits.

"Yeah, just do your best, and noone will think any less of you," said his squat friend.

"Umm, do we know you two?" asked Mao tearily, as she wiped more tears away from her eyes.

The two men face-faulted. "Darn it!" they both yelled. "Why does ev'ryone always forget?!"

The squat man shouted, "I'm Shirai Kimiaki!"

"And I'm Haitani Masayuki, don't forget it!" shouted the taller, thinner one.

"Did either of you notice," Sylvie asked Mao and Misora, "how these two just appeared out of nowhere in this story?"

Mao and Misora sweatdropped. "Sylvie-Chan, please stop destroying the Fourth Wall, I say," said Misora worriedly.

"Besides, Sylvie-Chan," said Mao. "You appeared out of nowhere, too."

"Oh," replied Sylvie. "Sorry..."

* * *

The next day...

The Chiefs of Staff and Commander Mishima discussed the Cute Alien invader that stole a bullet train earlier.

"Hmmm, so the Cute Aliens' targets are the Japanese landmarks," muttered Rikushiro.

"But why would they be after our landmarks?" Sorajiro asked noone in particular.

"It appears," began Kagome, "that my theory that the Cute Aliens are after the Japanese landmarks is correct."

"But Sorajiro, for once, brought up a good point," said Rikushiro, recieving a glare from Sorajiro. "'_Why_ are they after the landmarks of Japan?' is the real question."

"Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm!" chuckled Adalbert, lit cigarette in his hand. "Ri-dee-culous aliens! Zey couldn't bee more foolish!"

"Well, in the interim, it is vital that we formulate countermeasures immediately. We will have to have units stationed at every major landmark in Japan, and tell them to radio in any Cute Alien sightings or activities," said Kagome, but Rikushiro held up a hand to silence Kagome.

"No. There is one thing to do before we do that," he stated matter-of-factly.

"What's that?" Kagome asked, clearly wondering what was more important than the defense of the country.

"Well, the thing is..." began Rikushiro.

"...tomorrow..." continued Sorajiro.

"... our granddaughterz vill bee having..." finished Adalbert.

All three of them shouted, "...an off-season sports meet!!"

Kagome face-faulted.

* * *

Meanwhile...

"Yay!!" a bespectacled Sylvie shouted, running round and round Mao and Misora as they walked home from school. "No more school! No more school! No more school!"

"Sylvie-Chan, stop running around, please," said Misora, sweatdropping. "I think Mao-Chan is getting dizzy, I say." Misora looked over, and sure enough, Mao's eyes were swirling like crazy.

"Mao-Chan, are you alright, I ask?" asked Misora, grabbing Mao by the shoulders until she steadied.

"Thanks, Misora-Chan," thanked Mao. No sooner did she say this than a small object flew onto her head. She looked up; it was a small turtle, just small enough to sit comfortably on someone's head. It looked exactly like a smaller Cosmic Tamago, and it had a look of fear on its face.

"What's wrong, little turtle?" asked Mao. A cowardly 'myuh' was all Mao got.

"'Someone's chasing you?'" asked Sylvie, looking around in every direction. "I, the officer, don't see anyone..."

"Nya ha ha!" came a cry from ahead. It sounded like a teenage girl, but with an accent suggesting someone from India, or somewhere nearby. "You can't hide from me, Tamago! Not while I have my Turtle Detecting Radar!"

Eventually, Mao and her friends saw the source of the voice. It was a teenage girl, about 16 or 17, tanned, with the same 'eternal blush' marks under her eyes as Misora. Her hair was blonde. Strangely, she was riding in a large turtle-shaped tank, barrelling down the street. The turtle-tank had a 'three-eyed elephant' symbol on one side.

"You cannot win this final battle while I'm equipped with the Mecha... Tamago... Mark... 43?" the girl said, slowing down and eventually stopping at the sight of Mao, Misora, and Sylvie. She stared at Mao and her friends in awe for a few seconds. Then she jumped right out, front-flipped forward, and landed feet-first, hand out for shaking, right in front of Mao, Misora, and Sylvie.

"Hi, my name is Kaolla Su! What are your names?!" said 'Kaolla', wearing a white shirt and blue skirt. Mao, Misora, and Sylvie were so stunned by this sudden appearance of a girl they didn't at all knew, that they couldn't find their voices.

"It's all right," said Kaolla, pulling out a banana and shoving the whole thing in her mouth. "Ah aww-weh-deh know yaw name-th," she said through a mouthful of banana.

"Um, Ms. Su, it's not polite to talk with your mouth full, I say," said Misora. Kaolla put her hand in her mouth, pulled out a spit-covered banana peel (Misora began to gag) and swallowed the rest.

"Su, stop harrassing those little kids!" came a familiar (to Sylvie) voice. From the direction where Kaolla came, came another woman, but this one in her early twenties. She had sandy-blonde hair that stopped at her shoulders, and a rather... ahem, shapely figure. Her eyes were squinted shut, giving her face a fox-like appearance.

A smile spread wide on Sylvie's face at the sight of a familiar... face. "Aunt Mitsune! Haven't seen me in a while, have you?" said Sylvie, hugging Mitsune around the waist. Mitsune waved a finger in the air.

"Now, Sylvie, you know I prefer to be called just 'Kitsune'," she said, a little annoyed that Sylvie didn't remember this fact.

"Sorry, Kitsune," said Sylvie. "I, the officer, didn't remember 'cause I didn't see you in a while." She turned to Mao and Misora. "Mao-Chan, Misora-Chan, this is my aunt, Mitsune Konno, but she just likes bein' called 'Kitsune'.

"Kitsune, these are my friends, Private E-2 Mao Onigawara of the Ground Defence Force ("Yep!" exclaimed Mao.) and 2nd Lieutenant Misora Tsukishima of the Sky Defence Force!" Misora's 'eternal blush' grew at the sudden increase in attention. "Uh-um, I..."

"Aww, you're all so cute!" said Kitsune. "You remind me of Shinobu just before Naru became a pop star! She was red as a tomato!" Now that Mao listened enough, Kitsune had an Osaka accent, and Sylvie had one as well. It was hard to tell, because her British accent overwhelmed her Osaka accent.

"Sylvie-Chan, where did you grow up?" asked Mao.

"I, the officer, grew up in Osaka with my parents, Wilhelm and Yui, and Aunt Kitsune," said Sylvie, confirming Sylvie's Osaka accent.

"Well, I, the officer, have to get home now, or Mum and Dad'll worry about me," said Sylvie.

"Okay," said Kitsune. "I need to get back to Hinata Apartments to... 'persuade' the landlord into letting me not pay the rent for a month." Kitsune did 'quotation fingers' when she said 'persuade'. Without further ado, Kaolla hopped back into the Mecha Tamago tank, and began driving away. "Another day, Tamago..." Kaolla was heard to be muttering. Kitsune turned to leave, but suddenly turned back towards Mao, Misora, and Sylvie.

"Oh yeah! Have you three seen Tama-chan?" she asked. Mao, Misora, and Sylvie tilted their heads, wondering who 'Tama-chan' was. "Tama-chan? You know, the little turtle Kaolla was chasing?" Then it clicked for Mao, Misora, and Sylvie: Tama-chan was the turtle that was scared of Kaolla.

"Oh, right!" said Mao. "Tama-chan was sitting on top of my-

"-head?" Tama-chan wasn't on top of Mao's head. Suddenly, Mao felt movement in one of the exceedingly large pigtails on the left side of her head. She began to squirm and squeal. "Ahh! Somebody help! Somebody get the turtle out of my hair!"

Kitsune chuckled, and muttered to herself, "Now, if Naru and Keitarou were here, Naru would go, 'Keitarou, you pervert!' and punch him into the stratosphere."

Suddenly, Tama-chan popped out of one of Mao's large pigtails, waved 'myuh!' with one of its flippers, and flew off towards the Hinata House. Kitsune followed Tama-chan.

"Did that turtle just fly, I ask?" asked Misora.

* * *

The next day...

"Hello, and welcome to the 20th Annual Akamatsu School 2nd Graders' Sports Meet! I am Takashi Akayama, and I will be your host!"

Takashi was reporting from a helicopter flying over the Akamatsu School.

"Among the contestants are Mao Onigawara, Misora Tsukishima, and Sylvia Maruyama. They were so cute two days ago when they failed the defense mission, that the Prime Minister is giving them a chance to redeem themselves! They must do their best in each round of this Sports Meet!"

Among the others present were the Chiefs of Staff, Kagome, Sylvie's parents, and Mao's dad.

The Prime Minister stepped up to the podium.

"Oh my, what an unexpected surprise!" exclaimed Takashi. "It seems the Prime Minister is going to give a speech before the Sports Meet begins!"

Like all of his speechs, the Prime Minister's speech was short and to the point:

"Welcome, everyone. I hope that you all enjoy yourselves today!"

"I'm gonna do my best to help Team Red win, aren't you, Misora-Chan?" Mao asked. To signify that they were on Team Red, Mao and Sylvie had red headbands on. Misora just replaced the blue bow on the side of her head with a red one. The three had their clover badges removed for the Sports Meet.

"I certainly will, Mao-Chan, I say!" replied Misora.

"I, the officer, am not really photogenic, though," muttered Sylvie, who was sitting nearby, looking up at the helicopter that was filming them.

"I can see my Daddy!" exclaimed Mao, waving. "Hi, Daddy!" Mao's dad, too busy reading a newspaper which obscured his face, waved for only a second. "Where are your parents, Misora-Chan? I wanna say 'hi'!"

"My mother is a diplomat, so I do not see her often, I say," Misora answered. "And my father, he..." Misora's manner suddenly became sadder, almost depressed. Tears began to form in her eyes.

"What? What happened to your dad, Misora-Chan?" asked Mao, and the 'eternal blush' marks under Misora's eyed faded slightly.

"My... my... my father died in a plane crash when I was two, I say," choked Misora, tears falling freely from her eyes. "I never knew my father, I say!" And Misora broke down into tears. Mao put a comforting hand on Misora's shoulder.

"It's alright, Misora-Chan," said Mao, tears forming in her eyes as well. "I, myself, never knew Mommy, either. She disappeared when I was only a few months old. I know how you feel, Misora-Chan."

Misora looked up at Mao, the last few tears rolling down her face. Mao had tears in her eyes as well. Misora looked into Mao's amethyst eyes, and knew that she always turn to Mao if she needed help, and Mao would help without a second thought.

Misora wiped the tears from her face, and hugged Mao tight. "Thank you, Mao-Chan."

* * *

"This is our chance, Miss President!" said Chinami, watching the scene through binoculars. "If the Onigawara and her friends do poorly in the Sports Meet, the Defense Forces will lose support of the Cabinet, and it will be easier for _our_ headquarters to carry out _their_ missions!"

"Chinami-Chan, I understand all that... but..." said Yuriko.

"But _what_, Miss President?" snapped Chinami, trying to get back to observing Mao, Misora and Sylvie as quickly as possible.

"...but why do we have to change into these sports uniforms?" asked Yuriko. Chinami face-faulted, her pince-nez glasses askew.

"These are disguises, of course," responded Chinami. "Do you really want Onigawara and her friends to recognize us?"

"Well, no," said Yuriko, who seriously doubted that they would be unrecognizable to Mao, Misora, and Sylvie. _I mean_, Yuriko thought, _it's like Chinami-Chan thinks that if we wear our normal school uniforms, Mao-Chan and her friends will go, 'gasp They're spies for the Cute Aliens!'_

"And the member of Team Red who will do the 50-meter sprint," came the announcement. "will be... Misora Tsukishima!"

Yuriko and Chinami watched as Misora stood up and walked towards the starting line.

* * *

Later that day...

Rikushiro was in dismay. In every single event she was involved in, Mao tripped, stumbled, or won in last place! Meanwhile, Misora and Sylvie won in first place in every event they were involved in. They even won in the folk dancing competition.

"All the morning events are now over!" came Takashi's announcement. "Thanks to some fine performances by Misora-Chan and Sylvia-Chan, Team Red is winning 250-200!

"However, Mao-Chan is beyond clumsy, and is not doing quite so good! She has not contributed to Team Red's lead at all!"

_Sure, rub it in, why doncha?_ thought Rikushiro angrilly. He got up and started looking for the faculty. He had to find Kagome.

* * *

Chinami giggled malevolently, "Look at how pathetically Onigawara is performing, Miss President! It doesn't look like we'll need to get involved at all, does it?"

Yuriko held up a pocket computer, "I'm not so sure about that, Chinami-Chan. It looks like the Cabinet's support of the Defense Forces is rising, not falling!"

Chinami's eyes widened, her glasses magnifying them greatly. "What?! You're kidding!" But then an evil smile crossed Chinami's face. "No matter. Onigawara's lackluster performance is sure to yank the rug out from under the Defense Forces!"

* * *

"Ah-ooh-eh-ooh!" moaned Mao as Misora and Sylvie relaxed and ate lunch. "I, myself, haven't been able to help Team Red win at all! This isn't good, not good at ah-ooh-eh-ooh...!" and Mao just went right back to moaning.

"Mao-Chan, don't you worry about a thing, I say," said Misora, trying to cheer Mao up.

"She's right. We'll do our best to make up for your lameness, Mao-Chan," said Sylvie. Though she thought her words would cheer Mao up, they just made Mao sink even lower. Mao face-faulted, tears pouring from her eyes.

"What's wrong? Did that make you happy?" asked Sylvie.

Misora sweatdropped, "I wouldn't say so, Sylvie-Chan, I say."

* * *

"Miss Kagome, please find some way to help Mao win!" Rikushiro demanded, leaning right over Kagome, making her lean back. "Find some game where she plays such a role that she wins all the time!"  
  
Kagome scratched the side of her head. "Well, that's easier said than done, Chief of Staff..."

Suddenly, Rikushiro took Kagome's hand in his, "In the event that all goes well, Miss Kagome, I will take you out to dinner at a fancy restaurant in a five-star hotel."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. _Dinner with the Chief of Staff?!_ she thought, love in her eyes. _How can I turn that down?_

"Really?!" Kagome almost shouted.

Meanwhile, Takashi announced, "Well, I know it sounds cliche, but Teams Red and White are neck-and-neck, with 500 points apiece! The last event, as always, is the scavenger hunt race!"

"Excuse me for a moment, Chief of Staff," said Kagome, hyperventilating. She skipped off, as Rikushiro thought, _I hope you know what you're doing, Miss Kagome. I'm counting on you..._

Kagome approached the teacher in charge of the scavenger hunt race, and asked, "Um, Ms. Aoshima, did you make Mao-Chan's item an easy one?"

"Yep," replied Ms. Aoshima. "I made all of the items as basic as basic can get."

"Thank you so much," replied Kagome, quite relieved.

* * *

The scavenger hunt race is set up like any normal race, except halfway through is a table with papers on it. Each paper has the name of the item the 2nd grader must find.

"On your mark... get set... go!" said Takashi's voice over the PA. On 'go!' every 2nd grader lined up at the beginning of the scavenger hunt race ran to the table.

"Go, Mao!" Rikushiro shouted. But his words did nothing to make Mao run faster than a foot a second.

The rest of the 2nd graders reached the table quickly. Sylvie picked up the paper in front of her.

"'A pretty girl'," Sylvie read from the paper, adjusting her glasses to make sure she read it right.

"'A cute girl with glasses'," Misora read from her paper. The two of them looked at each other, and said, "I found it!"

They ran across the finish line, holding each other's hands. By this time, Mao reached the table. She picked up the last paper, which read: _For Mao-Chan only,_ on the front. Mao turned the paper over...

And gasped.

_How can I, myself, find that?_ Mao thought, just standing there. Not moving.

* * *

Rikushiro was dumbfounded. For the past two minutes, Mao just stood there, not moving, not even speaking.

"MAO!" he yelled, running up to her. His yell attracted the attention of almost everyone at the Sports Meet. Even Mao's dad lowered his newspaper, interested in what made Rikushiro yell. "What's wrong?! Mao, just go and find your person! How hard can _that_ be?!"

"But I, myself, can't find what I don't have," Mao replied, and Rikushiro thought he heard Mao's voice cracking slightly. Rikushiro read over Mao's shoulder, and realized what Mao had to find:

**Mother**

_Oh no... Mao's mother disappeared when she was still in diapers_, Rikushiro thought, sensing a crying fit to start. Kagome walked up to Rikushiro. "What's wrong with Mao-Chan, Chief of Staff?" asked Kagome.

"She had to find her mother in this scavenger hunt," said Rikushiro. "I assume you knew nothing of this?"

"No, sir," Kagome replied. "Only Ms. Aoshima knew about this, but she didn't know Mao-Chan--"

"I... myself... don't have... a m-mom," Mao whimpered, before letting out a crying wail, tears pouring like waterfalls from her eyes.

"The poor thing, not having a mom!" "Mao-Chan!" several members of the crowd were heard muttering.

"This is so sad!" said Sorajiro, tears welling in his eyes as well. Adalbert handed him a handkerchief. "Thanks!" he said, wiping the tears away. "Hey! This hanky was already used!" Sorajiro snapped. "Vell, I can cry, too!" replied Adalbert.

Meanwhile, Mao's dad walked up to them, his newspaper discarded. In his hand he held something. He seemed slightly awkward.

"What's the matter, Ken?" Rikushiro asked Mao's dad, who didn't answer.

"Ahem, Kagome Mishima," he said, stuttering slightly. He had to speak up since Mao's crying was so loud. "I have wanted to say this to you since I first saw you when Mao joined the Defense Forces...

"I love you."

Everything and everyone was silent. Even Mao's crying seemed somewhat muted.

"You do?" replied Kagome.

"Yes," Ken said, getting down on one knee. "And I have finally reached a decision, after months of thinking:" He opened the small box in his hand. Everyone gasped. Inside was a wedding ring. "Will you marry me, Kagome Mishima, and become the one thing Mao has lacked, a mother?"

Kagome was stunned. She didn't want to marry Mao's dad, because she loved the Chief of Staff. However, Kagome realized that her love of Rikushiro was just an immature crush, and that their relationship had no hope, as she was 27 and Rikushiro was in his sixtie's. Besides, he believed their relationship was purely professional. With great difficulty, Kagome cast aside her feelings for Rikushiro.

"Yes, I will, Ken Onigawara," said Kagome, taking the ring from Ken and putting it on her finger. Then, hand in hand, Mao and Kagome ran across the finish line, to the sound of cheers from every person in the crowds. Takashi announced, "Goal! Team Red won! Mao-Chan gets extra points for finding the thing that she never had: a mother."

Chinami threw her binoculars to the ground in frustration, shouting, "Darn it! The Defense Force girls not only managed to win the Sports Meet, but the Defense Forces are still intact!"

Yuriko didn't trust herself to say anything, because it might come out a compliment for Mao. _I'm so glad Mao-Chan finally has a mother..._

* * *

Kagome and Ken's wedding happened that afternoon. Rikushiro was best man. And the dinner at the five-star hotel became the beginning of Kagome and Ken's honeymoon. Because Mao had no school the next day, Mao was allowed to come as well.

_I hope Mao is happy with me as her step-mother_, Kagome thought as she, Ken, Rikushiro, and Mao ate their dinner at the restaurant.

"Miss Kagome?" Mao asked.

"Yes, Mao?" Kagome replied.

"Even though you aren't my real mommy, can I, myself, call you 'Mom'?"

Kagome paused, then replied, "Yes, Mao. You can."

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_

(**P.S.:** Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. A series of events throughout the past several weeks have kept me busy. And earlier this week, I had to do a report on 'Night' by Elie Wiesel for the beginning of my sophomore year in high school. Whew! Now that that's taken care of, I can write more in what's left of the summer. Then again, I started reading the _Lord of the Rings_, so that may be an even trade-off.)

(**P.P.S.:** BTW, I know Kagome marrying Mao's dad is a big departure from the anime (and probably the manga), but I found the 'temporary mom' angle a little unbelievable and, for me anyway, killed the sad feeling from Mao's crying earlier. This development will change things quite a bit, including the omission of the episode I like the least later on. Oh well, bigger changes have been made before in other movie-to-book and book-to-movie adaptions. Then again, this novelization _is_ slightly AU. Hope that noone disagrees with this!)

(**P.P.P.S.:** Updates the next month or so will be sporadic and erratic, as I will not only be starrting school again, but me and my family will be working on our new house. BTW, the maiden name of Sylvie's mother, in this story, is Konno. Just so you all know!)


	11. Defense, Awake or Asleep

(**Note:** Once again, I apologize to those who think Kagome should not have become Mao's step-mom. But I'll reiterate: this is an _AU_ fic. Even though this is primarily a novelization of the anime, I will make a few changes here and there (e.g.: Sylvie didn't have glasses in the anime) that will suit _Mao-Chan: Volumes II and III_ (my continuation of the Mao-Chan story after this AU novelization) when I get down to it. Once again, I apologize!)

**_Ground Defense Force_**

**_Mao-Chan_**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 11:  
Defense, Awake or Asleep**

Mao sat up in bed, holding her Kuni-Chan doll in her arms. Kuni-Chan wears a white long-sleeve shirt and dark-red overalls. Kuni-Chan's hair is nearly identical to Mao's. She has blue button-eyes and blush marks under her eyes. Mao had this doll for as long as she could remember.

Mao turned Kuni-Chan to face her, and said, "I, myself, just had the strangest dream, Kuni-Chan. I, myself, dreamed that my teacher at school, Miss Kagome, became my new Mommy. Weird, huh?" And Mao proceeded to get dressed into her normal clothes. Just as she put the clover on her chest...

"Mao! Time to wake up!" came a voice from downstairs, but it wasn't Mao's dad. It sounded familiar, though.

Mao ran out the door and looked over the railing into the living room, and saw...

"...Miss Kagome?" Mao asked, tilting her head to the side.

Kagome smiled. "Didn't I say that you can call me 'Mom' last night?"

Mao scratched her head slightly. Then it occured to her.

"It wasn't a dream?" Mao asked herself, but already she knew the answer. Before she knew it, she was running down the steps, tears of joy rolling off her face.

"My new mommy!" Mao cried as she ran towards Kagome. However, she still didn't run any faster than before.

She tripped, landing on her face. Kagome sweatdropped, then walked over to help Mao up.

"Ah-ooh-eh-ooh!" moaned Mao as she wiped her knee off. Kagome lifted Mao to her feet. "Don't worry, Mao," Kagome said, hands on Mao's shoulders. "You'll learn to run faster eventually."

Mao looked into Kagome's eyes, and saw a motherly affection, which was enough to restore her morning cheer.

_BEEP! BEEP!_

"_Private Onigawara!_" came Operative Maeda's voice from Mao's clover. "_The Sheep Alien is back, and is going after the Osaka Castle in Osaka! Download your Type 2 Ground Gear and meet 2nd Lieutenant Tsukishima and Seaman Recruit Maruyama at the scene!_"

"Ehh?!" Mao and Kagome simultaneously. _A defense mission this early?!_ Kagome thought, shocked. _The Cute Aliens sure are getting off to an early start today!_ Even so, she composed herself and entered 'military mode'. "Mao! I mean, Private Onigawara, prepare to download Type 2 Ground Gear immediately!"

"Roger, Mom!" Mao saluted. "Type 2 Ground Gear... download!" She tapped her clover on the face. "Riku-bo!"

In a flash, Mao was once more in her Type 2 Ground Gear.

"Private E-2 Mao Onigawara of the Ground Defense Force! I will defend the country today in high spirits!" After this little spiel, Mao ran (slowly) out the door to defend the country.

Ken walked into the room. "Good morning, sunshine," he said cheerfully.

"Good morning, Ken," Kagome replied.

"Y'know," said Ken, adjusting his glasses slightly. "I didn't actually expect you to go through with that marriage proposal. I mean, we knew so little about each other."

"Well, I didn't expect it at all," Kagome said. "I went through with it so that Mao wouldn't grow into a young woman completely motherless. But it looks like we'll lead a good life together. I'm surprised even now just how much we have in common."

"Yeah," responded Ken. He looked at his watch worriedly. "Uhm, don't you have a defense mission to command?"

Kagome started. "Oh jeez! I forgot!" And Kagome ran off towards Defense Force headquarters, still in her PJ's.

* * *

"How pretty..." said Sylvie as she stared at the Osaka Castle down the road. She seemed rather 'in her element', as she was back in her birth city. Mao and Misora sat next to her onboard Miikun as it rode towards the Castle.

They reached to area surrounding the Osaka Castle. Everything looked perfectly normal. No Cute Alien in sight.

"Where is the Cute Alien, I ask?" asked Misora, looking round.

"I, the officer, don't see it anywhere," muttered Sylvie, looking under a small rock on the ground. They both heard Mao yell out.

"Misora-Chan! Sylvie-Chan! Look there!" shouted Mao, pointing to the top of a building nearby.

"It's the Cute Alien, I say!" screamed Misora. The Cute Alien, with a loud "Baa!", jumped off the building, towards the Osaka Castle.

Mao put a hand to her clover. "What should we do, Mommy? Should we use the Defense Barrier?"

Said Kagome, "_Number one: call me Commander Mishi-- I mean, Commander _Onigawara_ in these defense missions! Number two: a Defense Barrier at such close proximity to the Osaka Castle might damage it._"

"What should we do the--?" Mao asked, but was interrupted by Misora.  
"Mao-Chan! The Cute Alien is taking away the Osaka Castle, I say!" Mao turned, and just saw the Sheep Alien and the Osaka Castle vanish as if they were a mirage.

"Ah-ooh-eh-ooh!" the three Defense Force girls moaned.

"We are in a serious pinch," Sylvie stated.

* * *

Kagome watched the Alien and Osaka Castle disappear back to the Cute Alien headquarters in dismay. _Chalk up another for the Cute Aliens_, she thought. _If we keep failing and failing, the Cabinet won't rely on us anymore... I can't believe I nearly forgot my name is Kagome Onigawara now. Kagome Onigawara... it has such a nice ring to it._

* * *

And so two more days passed. And with each day came a new defense mission. And with each defense mission another landmark of Japan was stolen by the Sheep Alien.

And so it was, the Chiefs of Staff met to talk about why the Unified Defense Forces failed every mission they went on.

"Darn those Cute Aliens!" Rikushiro yelled, causing Sorajiro and Adalbert to jump. "They've had their way with us for long enough! Mark my words, we'll defend the next landmark from them next time for sure!" Rikushiro punched a shaking fist into his other hand to emphasize his point.

"Consider them marked, Rikushiro," muttered Sorajiro. "But if you'll remember, we had no idea where the Cute Aliens would strike, or what landmark they were after. So, unless we know what they are after, it is impossible to defend against them. Isn't that right, Okita-San?" Sorajiro squeezed Okita-San in the stomach, making the doll appear to nod.

"Well then, why don't you at least _try_ to come up with some countermeasures, Sorajiro?!" shouted Rikushiro, standing up in his chair.

"Sometimes," Sorajiro said overly-melodramatically. "A man must simply endure his lot in life."

Rikushiro's eyebrow twitched. "Will you stop spouting out that philosophical gibberish, trying to sound cool!?" Rikushiro rounded on Adalbert. "And you! You've been rather quiet! What're you thinking about?"

Adalbert looked at Rikushiro, piercing green eyes meeting fathomless black eyes. "Zhe thing is, I know vhat zhe aliens' next target..." Adalbert took a long drag on his cigarette, then extinguished it. "...is goin' to bee."

"What?!" Rikushiro and Sorajiro yelled. "How?"

"Zhey have told me," Adalbert pulled a small index card from his breast pocket, and read from it: "Eet says: 'Ve vill visit Okinawa at exactly 3:00 PM tomorrow, to take a Shisa. Signed, zhe Cute Aliens'."

"What?" muttered a dumbstruck Sorajiro.

"Curse the Cute Aliens," hissed Rikushiro, eye twitching. "Now they're just mocking us!

"Deploy the Unified Defense Forces!"

* * *

Early the next day, Mao, Misora, Sylvie, and Kagome took a plane to Okinawa, the southernmost island of Japan.

As for the Shisa, it is a stone lion that wards off evil spirits and fire.

_But what are the Cute Aliens planning to do by stealing all of Japan's landmarks? _Kagome thought. She unbuckled her seat belt and started to get up.

"Mommy, where are you going?" asked Mao.

"I have to, umm... go!" said Kagome, not exactly sure how best to say she had to use the bathroom. Kagome walked down the corridor to the toilet in the back of the plane.

It happened so fast Kagome wasn't sure exactly what happened. In less than a second, the door to the bathroom opened, someone walked out, and bumped right into Kagome. Kagome's glasses fell off. Immediately, she began to look for them as she frantically muttered, "Oh! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!"

Not hearing anything, Kagome looked over at the person, and was confused. The person - who turned out to be a woman - was just laying there, not moving, or even breathing. Filled with dread, Kagome found her glasses and put them on. Her blood ran cold.

The woman had long brown hair that was darker than Kagome's. She seemed to be only a few years younger than Kagome, 24 or 25... and was dead. Her skin was paler than usual, and her dark-brown eyes were unfocused.

Kagome panicked, and remembered her nightmare less than a week ago. Everything about CPR and medical treatment ran through her mind as she prepared to revive this woman.

"Come on! Stay away from the light!" whined Kagome as she did chest compressions on this woman, trying to restore a heartbeat. She breathed into the woman's mouth, then felt the woman's wrist for a pulse. None.

_H-Have I just committed murder?!_ Kagome thought frantically.

Then something happened that immensely relieved Kagome: the woman sat up. _Sh-She's alive?! But how? _Kagome thought bemusedly.

"Oh my," said the woman (I really have to get a name for her, don't I?) as she sat up. "How long have I been out this time?"

"'Th-This time'?! You mean, this happened before?" Kagome stuttered. The woman looked at Kagome with a sense of familiarity.

"Why, hello, Naru," the woman said, smiling slightly. "I didn't see you get on the plane."

Kagome said, "Y-y-you must be mistaken! My name isn't Naru. My name is Kagome Onigawara."

The woman's face went from happy to stunned in a split-second. "Oh my! Commander Kagome Onigawara of the Unified Defense Forces who just married Mao Onigawara's father?"

"The one and only," replied Kagome. "What's your name?"

"Oh my, I forgot to tell you my name. I am Mutsumi Otohime."

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Ms. Otohime," lied Kagome. If anything, her encounter with Mutsumi was somewhat terrifying.

"It was nice to meet you too, Mrs. Onigawara," said Mutsumi, unaware of Kagome's lie. Then Mutsumi did something quite shocking: she kissed Kagome on the lips!

"I hope to see you again sometime, Mrs. Onigawara," said Mutsumi as she returned to her seat. Kagome, who was red as a tomato, suddenly didn't feel like she needed to use the bathroom anymore.

* * *

Little did they know, Yuriko and Chinami were on the plane as well.

Yuriko was troubled, though she didn't tell Chinami that she was unnerved. Ever since that first Unified Defense Forces' mission, she felt an odd foreboding, as if something terrible had just been unleashed far away, and the Universe as she knew it was coming to an end. Yuriko didn't know what caused it, but felt that it wouldn't be long before she figured it out.

* * *

Mao, Misora, Sylvie, and Kagome arrived in Okinawa not long after Kagome encountered Mutsumi. They waited at the beach for the Cute Alien to arrive. Suddenly, Mao, Misora, and Sylvie began to undress.

"Wh-What are you girls doing?!" Kagome shouted, though she was relieved to she that they were not completely undressed. Mao and Sylvie both wore a two-piece swimsuit, Mao green, Sylvie black. Misora's swimsuit was one piece, and sky-blue. They put their clovers on the front of their swimsuits, over their hearts.

"But Grandpa said... I mean the Chief of Staff said," Mao said as Sylvie replaced her glasses with contact lenses. "That we could play on the beach until the mission begins."

"I was told the same, I say," agreed Misora.

"Same here," said Sylvie, pulling a life-saver around her waist. "Besides, unless my, the officer's, contacts are messed up, you look like you're in the mood for fun, too, Commander Mishima."

And she did; she was just wearing a dark-green bikini and a light-green jacket draped over her shoulders.

"Sylvia-Chan," replied Kagome coolly. "Don't you mean Commander _Onigawara_? Besides, I'm your supervisor until the mission begins, then I'm your Commander."

"Then please play with us, ma'am, I say!" said Misora.

* * *

Chinami and Yuriko watched from a distance, dressed in French maid uniforms.

"Miss President, this is our chance to knock out the Defense Forces," said Chinami as she looked through the binoculars. "All we have to do is give them this food I prepared." Chinami gestured towards the carts of food behind them.

"But Chinami-Chan," protested Yuriko. "Why do you want to give Mao-Chan and her friends food? They _are_ our enemies, you know."

Chinami almost yelled, but dropped her voice to a quieter level. "Don't you see, Miss President? I have put a special Space Sedative into each piece of food. Once they eat this food, they'll be out like a light in no time!"

Yuriko looked over the carts of food, then turned to Chinami, "But Sylvie-Chan's favorite food, tangerines, aren't here! Won't she be suspicious?"

Chinami's eyebrow twitched, her cat-ears popping out. "Are you as thick as a cinder block, Miss President?! Tangerines hold the cure for the Space Sedative!"

"Ch-Chinami-Chan! Your ears are showing!" Yuriko stuttered. Chinami withdrew her ears without effort, looking at Yuriko with a cold glare - which quickly vanished as a malevolent smile appeared on her face.

"Anyway, the Cute Alien should be arriving soon. We best be distributing the Sedative now," said Chinami.

"Yeah," Yuriko muttered. _I'm sorry, Mao-Chan..._

* * *

It turned out Chinami was right. No sooner had Mao, Misora, Sylvie, and Kagome put the food in their mouth than they began to nod. Ultimately, they collapsed to the ground, falling into a dreamless sleep, snoring away. Chinami snickered that they'd be out for hours, plenty of time for the Shisa to be taken. Yuriko didn't say anything, but she did have a look of worry on her face. They hid in the bushes to watch the whole thing, too confident that everything would go all right.

Their over-confidence was their weakness.

No sooner did they leave than Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's clovers began flashing.

"_Private Onigawara!_" came Operative Maeda's voice. "_Second Lieutenant Tsukishima! Seaman Recruit Maruyama! The Cute Alien has just made landfall just offshore of Okinawa. The Prime Minister has granted permission to use the Defense Barrier. Download your Type 2 Gear and show this Cute Alien we don't take their actions laying down!_"

But Maeda's words fell on deaf ears; or rather, the ears of those in deep sleep. If an operative in an army gives an order, and noone hears it, did she really give the order?

* * *

I, the officer, am so tired...

_Wake up, Sylvia._

Wh-Who are you?

_I am... a friend. You need to defend the country._

But I, the officer, am too tired! I can't. It's hopeless...

_Nothing is ever hopeless, Sylvia. Make your parents proud. Awaken. It doesn't matter whether you are awake or asleep; you can still defend!_

But we can't defend if we are asleep!

_Yes, you can. You possess my gift, Sylvia. All three of you do. And you will use it to defend. You must. If not, then Japan will fall._

...Alright. I, the officer, must defend!

_Don't forget Mao and Misora. They must defend, too. It takes three for the Defense Barrier to work._

But... how do you know about the Defence Barrier?

_I have my ways of knowing. Defend the Shisa, Sylvia. Now... Awaken._

* * *

Sylvie sat up, a bubble emerging from her nose. Though she was awake, her eyes were still closed. She mumbled something in her sleep. She heard a loud splash nearby, but was too tired to acknowledge it.

Suddenly, the bubble coming from her nostril popped, and Sylvie opened her eyes slightly. There was a large green, snakelike Cute Alien before her, its beady yellow eyes staring at her bemusedly.

Sylvie reached over to Mao and Misora, and began shaking them. "Come on, you two. Wake up."

Mao and Misora sat up groggily, mumbling sleepily. "What is it, I ask?" Misora mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"A voice in my head said that we have to defend," Sylvie told them drowsilly (sic).

"Oh, really?" Mao said, too tired to care that her friend was hearing voices.

"Then we need to transform, I say," said Misora, who reached over to Sylvie's face, brushing some sand off her cheek. "You have sand on your face, Sylvie-Chan, I say."

"Type 2 Ground Gear..."

"Type 2 Flight Gear..."

"Type 2 Marine Gear..."

"...download." They tapped their clovers tiredly. "Riku-bo.../Ku-bo.../Kai-bo..."

In a flash, they were in their Type 2 Gear, though they were no more invigorated than before.

"Mao Onigawara of the Ground Defense Force..."

"Misora Tsukishima of the Sky Defense Force..."

"Sylvia Maruyama of the Sea Defence Force..."

They saluted, wobbling on the spot as if they would collapse to the ground, sawing logs, at any moment. "The peace of Japan will be..." Mao began.

"...will be protected by..." Misora continued.

"We, the officers, will skip the rest." Sylvie failed to finish.

And they commenced the Defense Barrier operation.

* * *

"Amazing..." Yuriko muttered. In the middle of the beach, the Unified Defense Forces were sleeping, still in their Type 2 Gear, around the unconscious Snake Alien.

"WHAT?!!" Chinami shrieked, utterly furious. Yuriko jumped. "HOW COME THEY'RE MORE EFFICIENT WHEN THEY'RE HALF-ASLEEP?!!"

After a long silence, Yuriko muttered, "You scared me..." _But how did they wake up? Could it have been... Kusanagi-Sama?_

* * *

Meanwhile, on the beach, Kagome woke up. She yawned, "Ahh, what a nice nap." She noticed the Snake Alien, eyes swirling, with Mao, Misora and Sylvie sleeping in a triangle around it.

"Hmm, they must've beaten it while I was napping," Kagome muttered to herself. "They deserve a good sleep, given the hard work they've been doing all week..."

* * *

That night...

"You see? That is the power of the Unified Defense Forces! We will defend the country, even in our sleep!" bellowed Rikushiro, standing before a large crowd at the Diet. Sorajiro and Adalbert stood on either side of him. Before them, stood the three Defense Force girls, sleep-standing.

"It is all thanks to Misora of the Sky Defense Force!" Sorajiro called out.

"No, eet ees all sanks to Zylvie of zhe Sea Defense Force!" Adalbert said. But rather than make fools of themselves in public, the Chiefs of Staff shared a good laugh (hey, that rhymed).

* * *

A plane landed in Tokyo International Airport. Out of the plane emerged a large group of people, but one of them stood out. She had short, dark-blue hair and looked vaguely familiar. She thought to herself, _Don't worry, Misora. You won't have to defend much longer. You'll grow up with a normal life, not having to worry about the next Alien that will show up. Mother's coming..._

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_

(**Note:** The _War of the Gods_ continue! Within a week or so, I will begin posting new chapters of the _Story of Kusanagi-Sama: War of the Gods_! Look out for it!)


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